Where does “rō” come from?
rō (Old English) comes from Proto-West Germanic rōu, from Proto-Germanic *rōō, from Proto-Indo-European h₁reh₁- — to row; to separate; loose, sparse, rare.
Ancestry of “rō”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-West Germanic | rōu | calm, quiet; rest, repose |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | *rōō | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁reh₁- | to row; to separate; loose, sparse, rare |