English
Reich
Reich comes from German Reich ‘empire, realm’, and goes back to Proto-Germanic *rīkiją.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*rīkiją‘realm, kingdom’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*rīkī‘kingdom, realm’reconstructed
- Old High Germanc. 750–1050rīhhi‘power, might, empire’
- Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350rīche
- Germanc. 1650–presentReich‘empire, realm’
- Englishearliest quotation 1762same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*rīkiją‘realm, kingdom’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*rīkī‘kingdom, realm’reconstructed
- Old High Germanc. 750–1050rīhhi‘power, might, empire’
- Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350rīche
- Germanc. 1650–presentReich‘empire, realm’
- Englishearliest quotation 1762same form
Earliest quotation: 1762, Anton Friedrich Busching, Introduction to the Description of Germany: “The Empire is differently denominated as well by Germans…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’
right, source, rule, director, region, direction, regular, address, direct, correct, dress, rank, arrangement, radar, regime, arrange, rack, ana, rogue, royalty, realm, regulate, resurrection, interrogation, raj, rake, erect, regent, rector, insurrection, regency, anorexia, rectify, rectum, rhesus, incorrigible, droit, régime, regalia, dirge, 95 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs ‘king, ruler’
real, royal, roy, rex, regal, rani, rajah, riel, 6 more
through Proto-Germanic *rīkijaz ‘rich, mighty’
through Proto-Germanic *rīkiją ‘realm, kingdom’
through Proto-West Germanic *rīkī ‘kingdom, realm’
Today it means
noun A German empire, kingdom or nation; its territory or government.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *rīkiją / Reich