English
erector
Erector comes from Latin ērigō ‘to raise up, elevate, lift’, from regō ‘to guide, steer’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃réǵeti‘to straighten’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*regōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEregō‘to guide, steer’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEērigō‘to raise up, elevate, lift’
- Englishearliest quotation 2014erector
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃réǵeti‘to straighten’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*regōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEregō‘to guide, steer’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEērigō‘to raise up, elevate, lift’
- Englishearliest quotation 2014erector
Earliest quotation: 2014, Mike Riley, Alison Cotgrave: “At this stage of the construction process the only…”
Formed from erect + -or
Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’
…
Latin regō ‘to direct, keep straight, guide’
Latin ērigō ‘raise, set up’
Latin ērectus ‘upright’
Middle English erect
English erect
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’
right, real, rich, royal, regular, rank, arrangement, roy, radar, arrange, correct, rack, rogue, rex, raj, interrogation, rake, regal, regency, rani, dresser, undress, rajah, dressage, rhesus, eldritch, riel, dirigible, derailleur, interregnum, rectory, retch, rectilinear, 76 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃réǵeti ‘to straighten’
ana, directory, anorexia, 43 more
through Proto-Italic *regō
regional, director, resource, regiment, ruler, regimen, 39 more
through Latin regō ‘to guide, steer’
source, rule, region, address, dress, direction, direct, regime, realm, regulate, resurrection, regent, insurrection, rectify, droit, régime, irregularity, dirge, incorrigible, rectum, rectification, regula, regio, corregidor, rectitude, derecho, rectus, recto, 48 more
Today it means
noun A person who, or a device which erects.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- / erector