Middle English word riven comes from Proto-Indo-European *(o)reyǝ-, Proto-Indo-European *(e)reip-, Proto-Indo-European *h₁reyp-, Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreybʰ-, and later Proto-Germanic *hrībaną (To scratch. To snatch, to grab.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *(o)reyǝ- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *(e)reip- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *h₁reyp- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *(s)kreybʰ- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *hrībaną | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | To scratch. To snatch, to grab. |
| *rīfaną | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | To tear, rend. |
| *rīfan | Old English (ang) | |
| hrífa | Old Norse (non) | |
| riven | Middle English (enm) |