Where does “ржа” come from?
ржа (Russian) comes from Old East Slavic ръжа, from Proto-Slavic rъďa, from Proto-Slavic rudъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic roudos, from Proto-Indo-European h₁rowdʰ-o-, from Proto-Indo-European h₁rewdʰ- — red.
ржа (Russian): rust
Ancestry of “ржа”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old East Slavic | ръжа | — |
| 2 | Proto-Slavic | rъďa | rust |
| 3 | Proto-Slavic | rudъ | red, blood red, reddish; ginger; brown |
| 4 | Proto-Balto-Slavic | roudos | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁rowdʰ-o- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁rewdʰ- | red |