Middle English word ruther comes from Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂-, and later Proto-Germanic *hrunþaz (A horned beast, as in a neat or ox.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *ḱerh₂- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *hrunþaz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | A horned beast, as in a neat or ox. |
| hrīþ | Old English (ang) | |
| hrūþ | Old English (ang) | |
| hriþer | Old English (ang) | Cattle. |
| rother | Middle English (enm) |