Row
/roʊ/noun
A line of things or people arranged side by side, or a noisy argument.
Did you know?The “argument” sense of row is a separate later development, while the “line” sense comes from an ancient root also behind words like rail, rule, and regulate—language literally turned straightness into power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*reg-
“to move in a straight line; to direct, guide, or straighten”
Latin
Latin
regere
“to rule, guide, keep straight”
Old French
Old French
roi / reule
“royal; a straight line or rule for measuring”
Old English
English
rāw
“a line or series of things arranged in order”
Middle English
English
rowe
“a line, rank, or series”
Modern English
English
row
“a line of objects or people; later also a noisy quarrel”