# rue

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɹuː/ · frequency rank #13,801

## Definitions
1. Sorrow; repentance; regret.
2. Pity; compassion.

## Etymology
From Middle English rewe, reowe, from Old English hrēow (“sorrow, regret, penitence, repentance, penance”), from Proto-West Germanic *hreuwu (“pain, sadness, regret, repentance”). Cognates include German reuen (“to regret, to repent”) and Dutch rouwen (“to mourn, to grieve”).
Probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *krows-. If so, note the same sense evolution with in this case cognate Russian круши́ть (krušítʹ, “to destroy, to shatter”), Russian сокруша́ться (sokrušátʹsja, “to be distressed, to grieve (for, over)”). Also compare Czech truchlit from Proto-Slavic *truxlъ.

## Easily confused with
- **RV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-rv)
- **RW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-rw)
- **run** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-run)
- **rug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-rug)
- **rum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-rum)
- **rye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-rye)
- **rut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-rut)
- **Rus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-rus)
- **rule** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-rule)
- **runs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-runs)
- **rush** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-rush)
- **ruin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-ruin)
- **ruth** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-ruth)
- **rust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-rust)
- **Russ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-russ)
- **rung** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-rung)
- **ruse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-ruse)
- **ruff** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-ruff)
- **rump** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-rump)
- **rune** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rue-vs-rune)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/rue