Middle English word rike comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs (King, ruler.), Proto-Indo-European *(o)reǵ-, Proto-Germanic - ją
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *h₃rḗǵs | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | King, ruler. |
| *(o)reǵ- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| - ją | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | |
| *rīxs | Proto-Celtic (cel-pro) | King. |
| *rīgiom | Proto-Celtic (cel-pro) | |
| *rīks | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | King, ruler. |
| ríki | Old Norse (non) | |
| rike | Middle English (enm) | Kingdom, earldom. Sovereignty, dominion, authority. |