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Origin and history of ritual

ritual(adj.)

1560s, "pertaining to or consisting of a rite or rites," from French ritual or directly from Latin ritualis "relating to (religious) rites," from ritus "religious observance or ceremony, custom, usage," (see rite). By 1630s as "done as or in the manner of a rite" (as in ritual murder, attested by 1896). Related: Ritually.

also from 1560s

ritual(n.)

1640s, "prescribed manner of performing religious worship," from ritual (adj.). From 1650s as "book containing the rites or ordinances of a church," also "the external forms of religious or other devotional exercises," often in that sense somewhat pejorative (mere ritual, forgetful of meaning).

also from 1640s

Entries linking to ritual

rite(n.)

early 14c., "formal act or procedure of religious observance performed according to an established manner," from Latin ritus "custom, usage," especially "a religious observance or ceremony" (source also of Spanish, Italian rito), which perhaps is from PIE root *re- "to reason, count," on the notion of "to count; to observe carefully." Rite of passage (1909), marking the end of one phase and the start of another in an individual life, is translated from French rite de passage, coined by French anthropologist Arnold van Gennep (1873-1957).

ritualistic(adj.)

1844, "pertaining to or according to ritual," with -ic + ritualist "one versed in or devoted to rituals" (1650s), later "one who advocates a particular sacramental ritual" (especially one established by law or custom), 1670s; see ritual (adj.). By late 19c. ritualistic meant especially "placing great emphasis on external forms and symbols." Related: Ritually; ritualism (1838).

*re-

*rē-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to reason, count;" a variant of PIE root *ar-, also arə-, "to fit together."

It might form all or part of: Alfred; arraign; arithmetic; Conrad; dread; Eldred; Ethelred; hatred; hundred; kindred; logarithm; Ralph; rate (n.) "estimated value or worth;" rathskeller; ratify; ratio; ration; read; reason; rede; rhyme; riddle (n.1) "word-game;" rite; ritual.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit radh- "to succeed, accomplish;" Greek arithmos "number, amount;" Latin reri "to consider, confirm, ratify," ritus "rite, religious custom;" Old Church Slavonic raditi "to take thought, attend to;" Old Irish im-radim "to deliberate, consider;" Old English rædan "to advise, counsel, persuade; read;" Old English, Old High German rim "number;" Old Irish rim "number," dorimu "I count."