rye

rye · noun¹

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*rugiz
2. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*rugi
3. Old English · inherited fromryġe
4. Middle English · inherited fromrye
5. English todayrye

Inherited from Middle English rye, rie, from Old English ryġe, from Proto-West Germanic *rugi, from Proto-Germanic *rugiz. Germanic cognates include Dutch and West Frisian rogge, Low German Rogg, German Roggen, Rocken, Old Norse rugr (Danish rug, Swedish råg); non-Germanic cognates include Russian рожь (rožʹ) and Latvian rudzi.

Rye · proper noun²

1. Old English · derived fromriþ“river, stream”
2. Old Norse · derived fromrjóðr“forest clearing”
3. English todayRye

* As an English surname, variant of Rea. * Also as an English surname, from the noun rye. * As a Norwegian surname, from several farmsteads whose name derive from Old Norse rjóðr (“forest clearing”); see the verb ryðja (“to clear”). * As a Danish surname, from the town Ry in Skanderbord. * The town in England is perhaps derived from Old English riþ (“river, stream”) whence also rith; compare ree.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 8th c. A grain used extensively in Europe for making bread, beer, and (now generally) for animal fodder.
• from 14th c. The grass Secale cereale from which the grain is obtained.
• from 19th c. Ellipsis of rye bread.
• from 19th c. Ellipsis of rye whiskey, whiskey made mainly or wholly from rye grain.