Middle English word reuli comes from Proto-Indo-European *krow-, Proto-Indo-European *krewh₂-, and later Proto-Germanic *hrewwō (Pain, sadness, regret, repentance.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *krow- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *krewh₂- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *hrewwō | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Pain, sadness, regret, repentance. |
| *hriwwiz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Sad, sorrowful, regretful, penitant. |
| *hrawaz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Raw, uncooked. |
| hrēow | Old English (ang) | |
| hrēowlīc | Old English (ang) | |
| reuli | Middle English (enm) | Ruly (rueful, pitiable, pitiful, woeful). |