Etymograph

English

rectitude

Rectitude comes from Late Latin rectitūdō ‘straightness, uprightness’, from Latin regō ‘regulate, guide’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃réǵeti‘to straighten’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*regōreconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEregō‘regulate, guide’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErectus‘straight’perfect passive participle of regō
  6. Late Latinc. 200–600 CErectitūdō‘straightness, uprightness’
  7. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600rectitude
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1776same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃réǵeti‘to straighten’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*regōreconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEregō‘regulate, guide’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErectus‘straight’perfect passive participle of regō
  6. Late Latinc. 200–600 CErectitūdō‘straightness, uprightness’
  7. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600rectitude
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1776same form

Earliest quotation: 1776, Thomas Jefferson et al.: “We, therefore, the Repreſentatives of the united States of…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’

right, real, rich, royal, regular, rank, correct, arrangement, roy, radar, arrange, rack, rogue, rex, raj, interrogation, rake, regal, regency, rani, rector, rajah, rhesus, riel, eldritch, dirigible, interregnum, derailleur, retch, rectilinear, 74 more

through Proto-Indo-European *h₃réǵeti ‘to straighten’

ana, anorexia, 40 more

through Proto-Italic *regō

regional, direction, resource, ruler, regiment, directory, regimen, erectile, erectus, erector, 35 more

through Latin regō ‘regulate, guide’

source, rule, region, director, dress, direct, regime, realm, regulate, regent, resurrection, erect, insurrection, incorrigible, régime, dirge, irregularity, droit, regula, corregidor, regio, derecho, 46 more

through Latin rectus ‘straight’

address, dresser, undress, dressage, rectum, rectification, recto, rectus, 5 more

Today it means

noun Straightness; the state or quality of having a constant direction and not being crooked or bent.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- / rectitude

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