rathe

R1A1T1H4E1
/ɹeɪð/

adjective

Ripening or blooming early.

OriginMiddle English rathe ← Old English hraþe ← Proto-West Germanic *hraþō →
UncommonScrabble 8
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Meanings

rathe1

adjectiverathe (comparative rather, superlative rathest)

comparative rather · superlative rathest · alternative rath

  1. poeticRipening or blooming early.

    Bring the rathe primrose that forsaken dies.

    1637 (date written; published 1638), John Milton, “Lycidas”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC
    1 more example

    Thy converse drew us with delight, The men of rathe and riper years: The feeble soul, a haunt of fears, Forgot his weakness in thy sight.

    1849, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, In Memoriam A.H.H., canto 111
adverbrathe (comparative rather, superlative rathest)

comparative rather · superlative rathest · alternative rath

  1. obsoleteQuickly.
  2. poeticEarly in the morning.

Rathe2

proper nounRathe (plural Rathes)

plural Rathes

  1. A surname from German.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
rathely

Origin

rathe · adjective, adverb

  1. Proto-Indo-European*kret-“quick; to move quickly”
  2. Proto-West Germanic*hraþō
  3. Old Englishhraþe
  4. Middle Englishrathe
  5. Englishrathe

From Middle English rathe, from Old English hraþe, from Proto-West Germanic *hraþō, *hradō (“quickly”), from *hraþ, *hrad (“quick”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kret- (“quick; to move quickly”). Cognate with German Low German radd, ratt (“rashly; quickly; hastily”), and German gerade (“now, just, exactly”); compare Dutch rad (“quick, swift”), Norwegian rad (“quick, direct”), Gothic 𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌹𐌶𐌰 (raþiza, “easier”).

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

Rathe · proper noun

* As a German surname, variant of Rath. * As a southern German surname, from a pet form of the name Konrad. * As a French surname, variant of Ratte.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with rathe

lathebatheswathespathebeswatheenswatheflathesaithesandbathescathesnathestaithestarbathestathe
All rhymes →

Anagrams

heartearthhaterHarteHeratErathHertaTaherTerahrehat
Cite this entry
APA

rathe. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rathe

MLA

“rathe.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rathe. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rathe,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rathe.

Source: rathe on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.