Where does “рать” come from?
рать (Old Church Slavonic) comes from Proto-Slavic ortь, from Proto-Slavic oràti, from Proto-Balto-Slavic árˀtei, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éryeti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂erh₃-, from Proto-Indo-European h₁er- — earth.
рать (Old Church Slavonic): war; battle; enemy army
Ancestry of “рать”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Slavic | ortь | war, battle |
| 2 | Proto-Slavic | oràti | — |
| 3 | Proto-Balto-Slavic | árˀtei | to plow/plough |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éryeti | to be ploughing |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂erh₃- | to plough |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁er- | earth |