rule

rule · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*h₃réǵeti“to straighten; right”
2. Latin · derived fromregula“straight stick, bar, ruler, pattern”
3. Old French · derived fromriule
4. Middle English · inherited fromreule
5. English todayrule

From Middle English reule, rewle, rule, borrowed from Old French riule, reule, from Latin regula (“straight stick, bar, ruler, pattern”), from regō (“to keep straight, direct, govern, rule”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃réǵeti (“to straighten; right”), from the root *h₃reǵ-; see regent. Doublet of rail, regal, regula, and rigol.

rule · verb²

1. Latin · derived fromregulāre“to regulate, rule”
2. Old French · derived fromriuler
3. Middle English · inherited fromreulen
4. English todayrule

From Middle English reulen, rulen, borrowed from Old French riuler, from Latin regulāre (“to regulate, rule”), from regula (“a rule”); see regular and regulate.

rule · noun, verb³

Related to revel.

Words from the same roots