English
ruefully
Ruefully comes from Middle English reuful ‘sorrowful, distraught, rueful’, from Old English hrēow ‘regret, remorse’, and ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hrewwaną.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hrewwaną‘to cause regret, to rue’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hreuwan‘to cause pain, regret’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*hreuwu‘regret’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150hrēow‘regret, remorse’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500rewe‘pity, sorrow, rue’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500reuful‘sorrowful, distraught, rueful’
- English1500–presentrueful
- Englishtodayruefully
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hrewwaną‘to cause regret, to rue’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hreuwan‘to cause pain, regret’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*hreuwu‘regret’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150hrēow‘regret, remorse’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500rewe‘pity, sorrow, rue’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500reuful‘sorrowful, distraught, rueful’
- English1500–presentrueful
- Englishtodayruefully
Linked words
through Proto-West Germanic *hreuwu ‘regret’
through Old English hrēow ‘regret, remorse’
through Middle English rewe ‘pity, sorrow, rue’
Today it means
adv In a rueful manner; causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *hrewwaną / ruefully