Etymograph

English

ritter

Ritter comes from German Ritter ‘knight’, from Middle Dutch rîden ‘to ride’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *Hreydʰ-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*Hreydʰ-‘to set in motion, ride’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*rīdaną‘to ride’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*rīdan‘to ride’reconstructed
  4. Old Dutchc. 500–1150rīdan‘to ride’
  5. Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500rîden‘to ride’
  6. Middle Dutch, derivedc. 1150–1500ridder
  7. Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350ritter
  8. Germanc. 1650–presentRitter‘knight’
  9. Englishtodayritter

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*Hreydʰ-‘to set in motion, ride’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*rīdaną‘to ride’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*rīdan‘to ride’reconstructed
  4. Old Dutchc. 500–1150rīdan‘to ride’
  5. Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500rîden‘to ride’
  6. Middle Dutch, derivedc. 1150–1500ridder
  7. Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350ritter
  8. Germanc. 1650–presentRitter‘knight’
  9. Englishtodayritter

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *h₃reyH- ‘to move, churn’

rival, derivative, rin, irritable, derivation, ria, irritate, ern, 10 more

through Proto-Germanic *rīdaną ‘to ride’

raid, rider, override, 1 more

through Proto-West Germanic *rīdan ‘to ride’

ride, riding, overridden, 3 more

Today it means

noun knight

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *Hreydʰ- / ritter

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