Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “rice” come from?

rice (Old English) comes from Frankish rīki, from Proto-Germanic rīkijaz, from Proto-Germanic rīks, from Proto-Celtic rīxs, from Proto-Indo-European h₃rḗǵs, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- — to straighten, to right oneself; right; just.

rice (Old English): power, authority, dominion; realm, kingdom;...

Definitions

  1. power, authority, dominion; realm, kingdom;...

Ancestry of “rice”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frankishrīkirich
2Proto-Germanicrīkijazkingly, royal, noble; mighty, powerful; rich
3Proto-Germanicrīksking, ruler
4Proto-Celticrīxsking
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃rḗǵsking, ruler
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵ-to straighten, to right oneself; right; just

Words derived from “rice”

  • rich
  • riches
  • richer
  • richly
  • richness
  • riche
  • superrich
  • ultrarich
  • overrich
  • richen
  • megarich
  • unrich
  • nonrich
  • richish
  • richling
  • generich
  • richweed
  • semirich
  • antirich
  • overrichness
  • nickel-rich
  • -ric
  • riĉaĵo
  • petrolriĉa
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- →