English
rigidity
Rigidity comes from Latin rigiditas ‘stiffness, rigidity’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *Hreyǵ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*Hreyǵ-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*rigēōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CErigeō‘to be stiff’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErigidus‘stiff, rigid, hard, inflexible’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErigiditas‘stiffness, rigidity’
- Englishearliest quotation 1958rigidity
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*Hreyǵ-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*rigēōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CErigeō‘to be stiff’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErigidus‘stiff, rigid, hard, inflexible’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErigiditas‘stiffness, rigidity’
- Englishearliest quotation 1958rigidity
Earliest quotation: 1958, Swindon's First Main-Line Diesel Locomotive: “For rigidity, two bulkheads are provided which are welded…”
Formed from rigid + -ity
Proto-Indo-European *Hreyǵ-
Proto-Italic *rigēō
Latin rigeō ‘to be stiff’
Latin rigidus ‘stiff’
Middle English rigide
English rigid
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *Hreyǵ-
reach, irrigation, rigorous, rigor, 7 more
through Latin rigeō ‘to be stiff’
Today it means
noun The quality or state of being rigid; lack of pliability; the quality of resisting change of physical shape.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *Hreyǵ- / rigidity