English
roy
Roy comes from Old French roi ‘king’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃rḗǵs‘king, ruler’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*rēks‘king’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CErēxas rēgem‘king, ruler’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400roi‘king’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500roy
- Englishearliest quotation 1614–1615same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃rḗǵs‘king, ruler’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*rēks‘king’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CErēxas rēgem‘king, ruler’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400roi‘king’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500roy
- Englishearliest quotation 1614–1615same form
Earliest quotation: 1614–1615, Homer, The Fifth Book of Homer’s Odysseys: “For in the tenth year, when roy victory /…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’
right, director, source, region, regular, rule, direction, address, direct, correct, dress, rank, regime, arrangement, radar, realm, arrange, rack, ana, regulate, resurrection, riches, raj, erect, rogue, regent, interrogation, rake, rector, richness, regency, royalty, insurrection, rectify, anorexia, rectum, rhesus, rectification, incorrigible, régime, 96 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs ‘king, ruler’
rich, rani, rajah, eldritch, 7 more
through Proto-Italic *rēks ‘king’
through Latin rēx ‘king, ruler’
Today it means
noun A king.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.