riht

riht

See also: riht-

Middle English

Adjective

riht

1. Alternative form of right

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Old English

Alternative forms

• reht, reoht

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *rehtaz (“right, straight”), (an adjective also used substantively as a noun), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵtós, from the root *h₃reǵ- (“go straight, guide, be just”). Germanic cognates include Old Frisian riuht, Old Saxon reht (Saxon recht), Dutch recht n & adj, Old High German reht (German Recht n, recht adj), Old Norse réttr (Swedish rätt adj), Gothic 𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌷𐍄𐍃. The Indo-European root is also the source of Avestan rāšta ‘straight’, Greek ὀρεκτός ‘outstretched, longed-for’, Latin rēctus, Old Irish recht.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /riçt/

Noun

riht n

1. right, law, justice, moral correctness

   Wiþerwearde Godes beboda and ðæs gastlican rihtes: opponents of God’s commands and the spiritual law. (Homilies)

2. a right, a justifiable entitlement to something or to some action
3. one’s right, one’s proper due

   nelle ic ða rincas rihtes benæman: I will not deprive the men of their due. (Cædmon’s Metrical Paraphrase)

Adjective

riht

1. straight, unbent; direct
2. right, righteous, just, morally correct, proper
3. rightful, legitimate, true

   on rihtre æwe: in lawful marriage. (Wulfstan)

4. pertaining to the right side, as opposed to the left

Derived terms

• ġeriht
• rihtnes
• rihtwīs
• unriht

Descendants

• Middle English: right, reȝt, riȝte, riȝt, ryȝt, ryght, righte, riht
  • English: right
    • → Spanish: right
    • → Welsh: reit
  • Scots: richt