Range Is a Row, Which Explains Mountains and Cookers
A range is an extent between limits, a line of mountains, or a kitchen cooker. All come from the idea of a row.
A range is the extent between limits, a line of mountains, an area of open grazing, a shooting ground, or a large cooking stove. Old French *rangier* meant to place in a row, and every sense follows from that: a mountain range is a row of peaks, a firing range a row of targets, a kitchen range a row of ovens and hotplates built as one unit. The verb *to range* means to wander over an area, and gives *ranger*, originally a keeper who patrolled a forest.
- Extent between limits. *A wide range.*
- A line of mountains. *A mountain range.*
- A cooking stove. *A kitchen range.*
- A shooting ground. *A rifle range.*
- Old French — *rangier*, to put in a row. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | range | A range. |
| Plural | ranges | Ranges. |
| Verb | range | Range over. |
| Agent | ranger | A ranger. |
| French | rang | A row. |
- Prices cover a wide range.Extent.
- The range runs north to south.Mountains.
- She cooks on an old range.Stove.
The row family
- Range — a row, then anything spanning between limits
- Rank — a row of soldiers, then a position in a row
- Arrange — to put into a row or order
- Ranger — one who ranges over a territory
- Derange — to disturb the order of
Old French *range*, a row or line, from *rangier*, to place in a row, from Frankish *hring*, a ring.
Why is a cooker called a range?
Because it combines ovens and hotplates in one row, built as a single unit rather than separate appliances.
Are range and arrange related?
Yes. To arrange is to put things into a row, from the same French root.