Etymology

rod

R1O1D2

Today it means: A straight, round stick, shaft, bar, cane, or staff. Full definition →

Middle English rodde ← Old English *rodd
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rod · noun, verb1

  1. Old English*rodd
  2. Middle Englishrodde
  3. English todayrod

From Middle English rodde, from Old English *rodd or *rodde (attested in dative plural roddum (“rod, pole”)), of uncertain origin, but probably from Proto-Germanic *rudd- (“stick, club”), from Proto-Indo-European *rewdʰ- (“to clear land”). Compare Old Norse rudda (“club”). For the root, compare English rid. Presumably unrelated to Proto-Germanic *rōdō (“rod, pole”).

Rod · proper noun2

Abbreviated form of Rodney and of Roderick, both with roots originating from Germanic *hrōþiz (“fame”).

Rod · proper noun3

  1. Proto-Slavic · derived from*rȍdъ
  2. English todayRod

Ultimately from Proto-Slavic *rȍdъ.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.