Rive
/raɪv/noun
To split or tear apart violently.
Did you know?Rive comes from an old Germanic root meaning “to split,” and it’s cousin to words for ripping, riving, and even the idea of division that runs through several Indo-European languages.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*rei-
“to split, tear, or cut”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*rībaną
“to tear, rip apart”
Old English
OE
rīfan
“to tear, split, or rend”
Middle English
ME
riven
“split, torn apart”
Modern English
English
rive
“to split or tear apart violently”