Middle English word ortroue comes from Old English or-, Old English trīewe, and later Old English ortreowe (Hopeless; despairing. Without confidence; distrustful.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| or- | Old English (ang) | Without, lacking. Causing deprivation, privative. Ex-, out of. Former. Original; denotes origin. |
| trīewe | Old English (ang) | |
| ortreowe | Old English (ang) | Hopeless; despairing. Without confidence; distrustful. |
| ortroue | Middle English (enm) |