Where does “rubi” come from?
rubi (Old Portuguese) comes from Catalan robí, from Old French rubin, from Medieval Latin rubinus, from Latin ruber, from Proto-Italic ruðros, from Proto-Indo-European h₁rudʰrós, from Proto-Indo-European h₁rewdʰ- — red.
Ancestry of “rubi”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalan | robí | ruby |
| 2 | Old French | rubin | ruby |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | rubinus | ruby, carbuncle; carbuncle, ruby |
| 4 | Latin | ruber | red approximately like red ochre (which had a traditional status among the Romans); red that was both common and dignified, somewhat associated with pigment |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | ruðros | red |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁rudʰrós | red |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁rewdʰ- | red |