Where does “rai” come from?

rai (Romansch) comes from Latin rex, from Proto-Italic rēks, from Proto-Indo-European h₃rḗǵs, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- — to straighten, to right oneself; right; just.

rai (Romansch): king

Definitions

  1. king

Ancestry of “rai”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinrexking, ruler; despot, tyrant; king
2Proto-Italicrēksking
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃rḗǵsking, ruler
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵ-to straighten, to right oneself; right; just
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃rḗǵs →Every word from Proto-Italic rēks →