English
rigour
Rigour comes from Old French rigor ‘harshness’, from Latin rigeō ‘to be rigid’, and ultimately from 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 rigid’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErigor‘stiffness, rigidity, rigor, cold, harshness’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400same form‘harshness’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500rigour
- Englishearliest quotation 1611same form
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 rigid’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErigor‘stiffness, rigidity, rigor, cold, harshness’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400same form‘harshness’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500rigour
- Englishearliest quotation 1611same form
Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *Hreyǵ-
reach, irrigation, rigorous, 6 more
through Proto-Italic *rigēō
through Latin rigeō ‘to be rigid’
through Latin rigor ‘stiffness, rigidity, rigor, cold, harshness’
Today it means
noun Severity or strictness.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *Hreyǵ- / rigour