Ruch
/ruːx/
noun
Origin
Old High German
ruoh — care, concern, or attentiveness
Overview
Meaning Now
- A movement or stir, especially within a group of people or a social trend.
- A collective effort or action, often directed toward a specific cause or reform.
Literal older meaning
movement, stirring, or commotion
Language path
Old High German → Middle High German → German
Earliest form
ruoch
Earliest period
11th century
Journey
The word 'Ruch' has undergone a significant semantic narrowing. While it originally related to 'heeding' or 'caring' (related to the verb 'geruhen'), it evolved to signify the public perception or 'smell' of someone's deeds, almost exclusively negative in modern usage, such as 'im Ruch der Bestechlichkeit' (having the reputation of being corrupt).
Evolution
- Old High German
ruoh
“care, concern”
- Middle High German
ruoch
“attention, consideration”
Semantic shift towards reputation or notoriety.
- Early Modern German
Ruch
“infamy or bad reputation”
Often used in the phrase 'in den Ruch kommen'.
Connections
Word parts
Ruch
root
reputation or concern
Related across languages
Old English
rōcan
to care for
Explore next
Related to Ruch
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.