ruth

ruth · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*krew(H)-
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*hrewwaną“to cause regret, rue; to feel sorrow, grieve”
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*hreuwan“to cause pain; to regret”
4. Old English · inherited fromhrēowan“to grieve; to regret, rue; to repent”
5. Middle English · inherited fromruthe
6. English todayruth

From Middle English ruthe, reuthe, reuþe, reowthe, rewthe (“compassion, pity, sympathy; mercy; grief, sorrow; cause or event of pity or sorrow; lamentation; calamity, trouble; distress; regret, remorse; cruelty, ill treatment”), from reu, reuen (“to feel compassion or pity; to regret, rue; etc.”) + -th, -the (suffix denoting a condition, quality, state of being, etc.), possibly influenced by an early Scandinavian language (compare Old Norse hrygð, hryggð (“affliction, grief, sorrow, ruth”), from the Proto-Germanic word indicated below). Reuen is derived from Old English hrēowan (“to grieve; to regret, rue; to repent”), from Proto-West Germanic *hreuwan (“to cause pain; to regret”), from Proto-Germanic *hrewwaną (“to cause regret, rue; to feel sorrow, grieve”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *krew(H)-, possibly related to Proto-Indo-European *krewh₂- (“blood”) and *krows- (“to fall, beat, break, bruise”). By surface analysis, rue (“to regret; etc.”) + -th (suffix forming abstract nouns from verbs).

Ruth · proper noun²

1. Hebrew · derived fromרות
2. English todayRuth

From Ruth the Moabite, Hebrew רות, of uncertain origin, possibly meaning "companion". Also associated with the English noun ruth (“compassion”) by Puritans.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 13th c. Sorrow for the misery of another person; compassion, mercy, pity.
• from 13th c. Regret, remorse, repentance.
• 13th–17th c. Matter for regret or sorrow; calamity, ruin; also, occasion for regret or sorrow; (countable) an instance of this; a disaster, a pitiful thing.
• 13th–19th c. Distress, misery, sorrow.