A Rule Was a Straight Stick First
A rule is a regulation. Its Latin source is the measuring stick, which is also a ruler.
A rule is a regulation, and *to rule* is to govern or to draw a straight line. Latin *regula* was a straight stick used for measuring, and every sense grows from it: a rule is the standard you measure conduct against, a ruler measures paper, and a ruler governs a country by the same image of setting a straight standard. That is why English uses one word for a monarch and a measuring stick, while most languages use two.
- A regulation. *House rules.*
- To govern. *Ruling the country.*
- To draw a line. *Ruled paper.*
- A measuring stick. *A ruler.*
- Latin — *regula*, a straight stick. *The root.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | rule | A rule. |
| Verb | rule | Ruling. |
| Agent | ruler | A ruler. |
| Adjective | regular | Regular. |
| Latin | regula | A straight stick. |
- The rules are clear.Regulation.
- She ruled for thirty years.Government.
- Ruled paper.Lines.
The regula family
- Rule — the standard measured against
- Ruler — both the stick and the sovereign
- Regular — conforming to the rule
- Regulate — to bring under a rule
- Rail — a straight bar, from the same root
Old French *reule*, from Latin *regula*, a straight stick or rule, from *regere*, to lead straight.
Why does ruler mean both a stick and a sovereign?
Because both come from Latin regula, a straight stick used to set a standard, whether for lines or for conduct.
Is rail related?
Yes. A rail is a straight bar, from the same Latin word.