Etymology

rob

R1O1B3

Today it means: To steal from, especially using force or violence. Full definition →

First used 15th c.Middle English robben ← Anglo-Norman robber ← Late Latin raubāre
Ask AI about its historyChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

rob · verb1

  1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*raubōną
  2. Old High German · derived fromroubōn
  3. Frankish · derived from*raubōn
  4. Late Latin · derived fromraubāre
  5. Anglo-Norman · derived fromrobber
  6. Middle English · inherited fromrobben
  7. English todayrob

From Middle English robben, from Anglo-Norman robber, from Late Latin raubāre, from Frankish *raubōn (compare Dutch roven) and Old High German roubōn, raubōn (“to rob, steal, plunder”), from Proto-Germanic *raubōną. Doublet of reave.

rob · noun2

  1. Arabic · derived fromربّ“thickened fruit juice”
  2. Medieval Latin · derived fromrob
  3. English todayrob

From Medieval Latin rob, from Arabic ربّ (“thickened fruit juice”). Compare French rob, Spanish rob, Italian rob, robbo, Portuguese robe, arrobe, Persian ربودن (present stem: robâ).

Words from the same roots

Frankish*raubōn all →

robbery

Proto-Germanic*raubōną all →

rover

First known use, by meaning

  • from 15th c. A syrup made of evaporating fruit juice over a fire, usually mixed with sugar or honey, and especially used for medicinal purposes.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.