Teaser

ruby, roan, red, rowan, russet, robust, corroborate, julep, rose

Proper names

Rob Roy, Rufus, Eritrea, Rousseau, Russell, Paso Robles, Rosetta Stone

Full Text

• Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewdʰ- red

  • Proto-Indo-European *h₁rudʰéh₁ti is red (stative)

    • Germanic *rudānã to be red

      • Germanic *rudō redness

        • West Germanic

          • Old English rudu redness

            • Old English rudiġ ruddy

              • English ruddy
      • Germanic *rudalōnã

        • West Germanic

          • Old English

            • English ruddle
          • Old High German

            • German Rötel
      • North Germanic

        • Old Norse roða to redden
      • West Germanic

        • Old High German rōten

          • German röten to redden
        • Frankish

          • Dutch roden
        • Old English rudian to be red

          • English rud
          • English rudden
    • Italic *ruðēō

      • Latin rubeō I am red, I redden, I blush

        • Latin rubeus red, reddish

          • French rubis ruby re-borrowing

            • English ruby
          • Eastern Romance

            • Romanian roib chestnut, sorrel
          • Western Romance

            • French rouge red

              • English rouge
            • Spanish roja (plant) rust
            • Italian robbio red, crimson
            • Spanish rubio blond

              • Spanish Rubio surname

                • English Rubio
          • Sardinian ruju red
    • Balto-Slavic *rudḗˀtei

      • Slavic *rъděti

        • West Slavic

          • Czech rdíti se
        • South Slavic

          • Old Church Slavonic ръдѣти сѧ rŭděti sę
        • East Slavic ръдѣти сѧ rŭděti sę to redden with reflexive pronoun

          • Russian рдеть rdetʹ
          • Ukrainian рди́тися rdýtysja
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₁rowdʰós red (adj)

    • Germanic *raudaz

      • Finnic *rauta iron

        • Samic *ruovtē

          • Northern Sami ruovdi iron
        • Finnish rauta iron
      • North Germanic

        • Old Norse rauðr red

          • Danish rød red
          • Icelandic rauður red
      • West Germanic

        • Frankish *rōt

          • Dutch rood red

            • Afrikaans rooi red

              • Afrikaans rooibos rooibos lit. "red-bush"

                • English rooibos
        • Old High German rōt red

          • Yiddish רויט royt red
          • German rot red
        • Old English rēad red

          • English red
      • East Germanic

        • Gothic 𐍂𐌰𐌿𐌸𐍃 rauþs

          • Ibero-Romance *raudanus from the accusative

            • Galician ruán roan, auburn
            • Spanish roano roan

              • French rouan

                • English roan
            • Portuguese ruão roan
      • Germanic *raudnanã to become red

        • Germanic *raudnijaz?

          • North Germanic

            • Old Norse reynir rowan tree

              • Icelandic reynir
              • Middle English

                • English rowan

                  • English Rowan
              • Danish røn rowan
        • North Germanic

          • Old Norse roðna

            • English rudden
            • Icelandic roðna
    • Celtic *roudos red

      • Gaulish roudos

        • Primitive Irish

          • Old Irish rúad red

            • Irish rua red, reddish, redhead, wild
            • Scottish Gaelic ruadh red, redhead

              • Scottish Gaelic Raibeart Ruadh Robert the Redhead

                • English Rob Roy
          • Primitive Irish ᚏᚑᚇᚐᚌᚅᚔ rodagni Little-Red's (personal name, genitive)

            • Old Irish Rúadán

              • Irish Ruadhán

                • English Rowan
      • Brythonic *rrʉð

        • Welsh rhudd red, crimson
    • Balto-Slavic *raudas

      • Lithuanian rùdas brown
      • Slavic *rȗdъ red, reddish, red-haired, brown

        • West Slavic

          • Polish rudy reddish brown, rusty, auburn, red-haired
        • South Slavic

          • Serbo-Croatian ру̑д rȗd reddish-brown
        • East Slavic

          • Russian ру́дый rúdyj red, red-haired
        • Slavic *rudà ore, mineral

          • South Slavic

            • Serbo-Croatian ру́да rúda ore, mineral
            • Old Church Slavonic роуда ruda ore, metal
            • Bulgarian ру́да rúda ore

              • Bulgarian рудар rudar miner

                • Romani rudar Rudar

                  • English Rudari
          • East Slavic руда ruda

            • Russian руда́ rudá ore
          • Finnic *rauta iron

            • Samic *ruovtē

              • Northern Sami ruovdi iron
            • Finnish rauta iron
          • West Slavic

            • Polish ruda ore
    • Indo-Iranian *Hrawdʰás red, red metal, copper

      • Iranian *Hrawdáh copper, brass

        • Western Iranian

          • Northwestern Iranian

            • Medean *arōδ

              • Old Armenian արոյր aroyr brass

                • Georgian რვალი rvali copper, brass, bronze
                • Armenian արույր aruyr brass
            • Balochi رود rōd bronze, metal
            • Parthian 𐫡𐫇𐫔 rwδ copper
        • Northern Iranian

          • Sogdian rwδ‏
      • Indo-Aryan *Hrawdʰás

        • Sanskrit 𑀮𑁄𑀳 lohá red, copper, iron

          • Magadhi

            • Bengali লোহা loha
          • Hindi लोह loh iron, steel, metal
          • Sauraseni 𑀮𑁄𑀳 loha

            • Pahari

              • Punjabi ਲੋਹਾ lohā iron
            • Madhya Sauraseni

              • Hindi लोहा lohā iron
          • Pali loha metal
    • Italic *rouβos

      • Latin rōbus red

        • Latin rōbīgō rust, mildew

          • Western Romance

            • Spanish robín rust
          • Latin *robicula

            • Western Romance

              • French rouille rust
      • Umbrian 𐌓𐌖𐌚𐌓𐌖 rufru

        • Latin rūfus red-haired

          • Latin Rūfus

            • English Rufus
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₁rowdʰ-os redness, red thing (noun)

    • Italic *rouβos

      • Latin rōbur common oak or sessile oak, strength, hardness ^[3]

        • Latin rōborō I strengthen

          • Latin corrōborō I make strong, I reinforce, I fortify, I corroborate

            • Italian corroborare to strengthen, to fortify, to support, to corroborate
            • English corroborate
            • French corroborer to corroborate
            • Spanish corroborar to corroborate
        • Latin rōbustus oaken, hard, firm, solid, robust

          • Italian robusto
          • French robuste
          • English robust
          • Spanish robusto
        • Western Romance

          • Italian rovere sessile oak
          • French rouvre sessile oak
          • Spanish roble oak, strength

            • Spanish Paso Robles Pass of Oaks (place name) among many other place names

              • English Paso Robles
            • Spanish Robles surname
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewdʰós red (adj)

    • Germanic *reudaz

      • East Germanic

        • Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐍂𐌹𐌿𐌸𐍃 gariuþs honorable, dignified
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₁rudʰmḗn

    • Balto-Slavic

      • Lithuanian raumuõ muscle
      • Slavic *ru(d)měnъ ruddy, rosy, pink

        • West Slavic

          • Polish rumiany ruddy, reddening
        • South Slavic

          • Serbo-Croatian ру̀мен rùmen ruddy, rosy, pink, reddish
        • East Slavic

          • Russian румя́ный rumjányj ruddy, rosy, pink
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₁rudʰrós red (adj)

    • Hellenic *erutʰrós

      • Mycenaean Greek 𐀁𐀬𐀵𐀫 e-ru-to-ro
      • Classical Greek ἐρῠθρός eruthrós red

        • Classical Greek Ἐρῠθρᾱ́ Eruthrā́ Red Sea, Indian Ocean

          • Greek Ερυθρά θάλασσα Red Sea
          • Classical Greek Ἐρῠθραίᾱ Eruthraíā Eritrea

            • Latin Erythraea Eritrea

              • Italian Eritrea Eritrea

                • Tigrinya ኤርትራ ʾertra Eritrea
                • English Eritrea Eritrea
        • Classical Greek ἐρῠθρῖνος eruthrînos red sea bream

          • Greek λυθρίνι lythríni red sea bream
        • English erythro-

          • English erythrocyte
    • Italic *ruðros red

      • Latin ruber red, ruddy

        • Latin rubellus reddish

          • English rubella
      • Latin rubrīca red ochre, ruddle, title/heading (written in red)

        • Western Romance

          • French rubrique category, heading, rubric

            • English rubric
          • Italian rubrica rubric, notebook, newspaper column
          • Spanish rúbrica signature, initials, title, heading, section
      • Latin rubia red dye, madder

        • Translingual Rubia taxonomic genus of madder plants
        • Western Romance

          • Italian robbia madder
        • Eastern Romance

          • Romanian roibă madder
    • Indo-Iranian *Hrudʰrás

      • Indo-Aryan

        • Sanskrit 𑀭𑀼𑀥𑀺𑀭 rudhirá red, bloody, Mars (planet)

          • Tamil రుధిరము rudhiramu blood
    • Balto-Slavic *rudras

      • Slavic *rъdrъ

        • East Slavic ръдръ rŭdrŭ

          • Russian рёдрый rjódryj red, tawny
    • Tocharian *rätre red

      • Kushean ratre red
      • Arshian rtär red
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₁réwdʰeti reddens

    • Germanic *reudanã to redden

      • North Germanic

        • Old Norse rjóða to redden
      • West Germanic

        • Old English rēodan to redden, to to make bloody, to wound
    • Hellenic *eréutʰō

      • Classical Greek ἐρεύθω ereúthō I redden
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₁rowdʰsos red (adj)

    • Italic *roussos

      • Latin russus red, reddish-brown

        • Western Romance

          • Italian rosso red, red-haired

            • Italian Rosso surname

              • English Rosso
            • Italian Rossi surname

              • English Rossi
          • Old French rous

            • Old French rousset

              • English russet
            • Old French roussel red-head

              • English Russell
              • French Rousseau surname

                • English Rousseau
            • French roux red-haired, russet
        • Eastern Romance

          • Romanian roșu red
    • Balto-Slavic

      • Slavic *rusъ fair, blond, red, yellow

        • West Slavic

          • Polish rusy fair (haired)
        • East Slavic

          • Russian ру́сый rúsyj fair-haired, blond ^[1]
        • South Slavic

          • Old Church Slavonic роусъ rusŭ
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₁réwdʰitos red (adj)

    • Indo-Iranian *Hráwdʰitas

      • Indo-Aryan *Hráwdʰitas

        • Dardic *lóhita

          • Kalasha لؕوُی ḷúi blood, life, strength
        • Sanskrit 𑀭𑁄𑀳𑀺𑀢 róhita red, a red horse, a kind of red tree, a kind of red fish

          • Maharashtri 𑀭𑁄𑀳𑀺𑀅 rohia
          • Sauraseni

            • Madhya Sauraseni

              • Hindi रोहू rohu rohu, a kind of carp

                • English rohu
        • Sanskrit 𑀮𑁄𑀳𑀺𑀢 lohita red, reddish, coppery, blood

          • Sauraseni

            • Western Sauraseni

              • Romani lolo red
            • Madhya Sauraseni

              • Hindi लहू lahū blood
          • Maharashtri 𑀮𑁄𑀳𑀺𑀅 lohia
          • Pali lohita red, blood

            • Thai โลหิต loo-hìt ^[2]
            • Khmer លោហិត loohət blood
  • Proto-Indo-European *wr̥dʰo- sweetbriar rose ^[4]

    • Pre-Albanian *wurdā

      • Albanian hurdhe ivy

        • Albanian urth ivy
    • Italic *wruðos

      • Latin rubus blackberry, bramble

        • Western Romance

          • Italian rovo blackberry, bramble
        • Translingual Rubus taxonomic genus of brambles
        • Eastern Romance

          • Romanian rug bramble
    • Germanic *wurdã

      • West Germanic

        • Old English word thorn bush
    • Indo-Iranian

      • Hellenic *wródon

        • Classical Greek ῥόδον rhódon rose

          • Oscan

            • Latin rosa rose

              • Western Romance

                • Old French rose

                  • Dutch roos rose, bullseye, rash, dandruff
                  • French rose rose, pink

                    • Greek ροζ roz pink
                    • Persian رز roz rose
                    • French rosette rosette

                      • English rosette
                    • Finnish roosa pink
                • Italian rosa rose, pink

                  • Maltese roża rose, pink
                  • Italian rosetta rosette

                    • English rosetta
                    • Italian Rosetta ^[6]

                      • English Rosetta Stone
                • Spanish rosa rose, pink

                  • Cebuano rosa rosa, pink
                  • Tagalog rosas rose
              • Old Church Slavonic рожа roža rose

                • Russian ро́за róza rose
              • Latin Rosa Rose (personal name)

                • Spanish Rosa

                  • Spanish Santa Rosa

                    • English Santa Rosa
                • English Rosa
              • Latin rosārium rose garden, rosary

                • English rosary
                • Western Romance

                  • French rosaire rosary
                  • Spanish rosario rosary

                    • Spanish Rosario Rosary (personal name)

                      • English Rosario
                  • Portuguese rosário rosary

                    • Japanese ロザリオ rozario rosary
                    • Malay rosario rosary
              • Old English

                • English rose

                  • Hawaiʻian loke rose
          • Classical Greek ῥοδόδενδρον rhodódendron rosebay, oleander

            • Latin rhododendron rosebay, oleander

              • Vulgar Latin *arodandrum

                • Vulgar Latin *lorandrum

                  • Western Romance

                    • French oléandre ^[5]

                      • English oleander ^[5]
                    • Italian oleandro oleander ^[5]
                    • Galician loendro oleander
              • Translingual Rhododentron
          • Greek ρόδο ródo rose

            • Greek ροδοδάφνη rododáfni oleander lit. "rose-laurel"
          • Classical Greek ῥοδοδᾰ́κτῠλος rhododáktulos rosy-fingered dawn
      • Kartvelian *bard-

        • Svan ბარდ bard stalk, stem, undergrowth
        • Georgian ბარდი bardi undergrowth, brush, bushes
      • Iranian

        • Avestan 𐬬𐬀𐬭𐬆𐬜𐬀 varəδa
        • Northern Iranian

          • Sogdian ward
        • Western Iranian

          • Old Persian *vr̥da-

            • Aramaic warda

              • Classical Syriac ܘܪܕܐ wardā
              • Demotic Egyptian wrṱ rose

                • Coptic ⲟⲩⲣⲧ ourt rose
            • Persian گل gol rose, flower

              • Arabic جل jull rose, jasmine
              • Persian گلاب golâb rose water

                • Telugu గులాబి rose, pink

                  • Telugu గులాబిపువ్వు gulābipuvvu rose (flower)
                • Arabic جلاب julāb rose water syrup, julep

                  • English julep
                • Thai กุหลาบ gù-làap rose
                • Khmer ផ្កាកុលាប pkaa ko’laap rose with pkaa: "flower"
                • Hindi गुलाब gulāb rose, rose water
              • Ottoman Turkish گل gül rose

                • Turkish gül rose
                • Serbo-Croatian ђу̑л đȗl rose
              • Pashto ګل gul flower, Monday
              • Hindi गुल gul flower, rose
            • Arabic وردة warda rose, flower, bloom, rosette, washer

              • Arabic ماء ورد māʾ ward rose water

                • Malay mawar rose
          • Northwestern Iranian

            • Parthian 𐫇𐫀𐫡 wʾr
            • Old Armenian վարդ vard rose

              • Georgian ვარდი vardi rose
              • Armenian վարդ vard rose
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₁ru(H)dʰyos red (adj)

    • Balto-Slavic

      • Slavic *ryďь

        • East Slavic

          • Polish ryży red-haired
          • Russian ры́жий rýžij red, sorrel, red-haired
        • South Slavic

          • Serbo-Croatian ри̑ђ rȋđ reddish, red
  • Proto-Indo-European *h₁rudʰyeh₂ red thing (noun)

    • Balto-Slavic

      • Slavic *rъďa rust

        • West Slavic

          • Polish rdza rust
        • South Slavic

          • Serbo-Croatian р̀ђа r̀đa rust
        • East Slavic

          • Ukrainian іржа́ iržá rust

Visual

Collected English words

rud, rudden, ruddy, ruddle, rouge, Rubio, ruby, Rudari, Rob Roy, Rowan, roan, red, rooibos, rowan, Rufus, Eritrea, erythro-, erythrocyte, rubella, rubric, Rubia, russet, Rousseau, Russell, Rosso, Rossi, rohu, Paso Robles, robust, corroborate, julep, Rhododentron, oleander, rosette, rosetta, Rosetta Stone, rose, Rosa, Santa Rosa, Rosario, rosary, Rubus

Footnotes

1. ^

   The name of "Russia" comes from the Русь Rus, which were probably so called after the Swedish ruling class. Compare the Finnish word for Sweden: Ruotsi, as well as various other Uralic names from both Sweden and Russia. Those names are probably related to words for "row" (compare modern Swedish Roslagen), but Русь Rus may have been influenced by Slavic *rusъ: "fair, blond, red, yellow".

2. ^

   Due to an interesting coincidence, Thai has two very similar sounding words for "blood" with completely different origins: Thai โลหิต loo-hìt: "blood" is from Sanskrit 𑀮𑁄𑀳𑀺𑀢 lohita: "blood", from Indo-European *h₁rewdʰ-: "red". But Thai เลือด lʉ̂ʉat: "blood" is from Proto-Tai *lɯət: "blood".

3. ^

   Old Latin rōbus had an oblique stem of rōbores due to intervocalic rhoticization of the s. In Classical Latin, the paradigm was levelled back into the direct stem to change it to rōbur instead of rōbus.

   The oak tree is named rōbur from its reddish timber, and the "strength" and "hardness" meanings derive from the oak timber.

4. ^

   *wr̥dʰo- has no certain connections. It is sometimes derived from *Hwardh-: "to grow, to grow strong". There is no attestation of that root outside of Indo-Iranian, but it's possible all the *wr̥dʰo- words come through Indo-Iranian.

   But it's at least worth considering whether it could be from *h₁rewdʰ-: "red", with metathesis of the *w and *r. The *h₁ could have easily been lost in the metathesis, but also even if the *h₁ was actually there in the PIE, we wouldn't have any evidence of it, since we have only this one zero-grade form for the paradigm.

   Deriving *wr̥dʰo- from *h₁rewdʰ- is an interesting possibility, because it unifies "rose" with "red": French rose with rouge, Italian rosa with rosso, Latin rubus with rubeus. And even the species name of the sweetbriar rose: "Rosa rubiginosa".

   *wr̥dʰo- is not likely to be related to *wréh₂ds: "root, plant"; those are not as similar as the notation makes them look.

   Sweetbriar rose is also called "eglantine" in English: https://www.aidanem.com/word-family-edge.html

5. ^

   The connection of oleander to Greek oleo-ander: "I will kill a man" is almost certainly folk etymology, though the word may have been modified under influence of that folk etymology.

6. ^

   The Italian name "Rosetta" for the town in Egypt is a modification by folk-etymology from Coptic ⲣⲁϣⲓⲧ Rashit (as is the Arabic name Rashid). It is vaguely possible the Arabic is an adaptation of an old Egyptian name, perhaps related to Coptic ⲣⲁϣⲓ raši: "joy, to rejoice" (Demotic ršy, Ancient Egyptian ršw); but it is probably an Arabic original name.

   It was in Rashit that Napoleon's campaign in Egypt found the Rosetta Stone, a bilingual/triscriptual text in Ancient Egyptian (in both Hieroglyphic and Demotic scripts) and Classical Greek which allowed Ancient Egyptian to be deciphered.