riddance

The story

1. Old English · inherited fromhryding“a clearing, cleared land”
2. Middle English · inherited fromriddeings
3. English todayriddance

Apparently an alteration of earlier Middle English riddeings, ryddyngs, reddyngs (“clearings, clearances”), plural of riddyng, riddynge, rudyng (“clearing away, removal”), partially continuing Old English hryding (“a clearing, cleared land”), by surface analysis, rid + -ance.

Words from the same roots