-rath

From Old High German rot (“clearing”), related to roden. The spelling with -a- reflects dialectal [ɔː] in these names. However, most Rhenish dialects should regularly have short [ɔ] (Central Franconian rodde), so there probably underlies some kind of analogy or older form of pronunciation. Another possibility would be influence by a Middle Low German spelling; compare -rade.

• IPA^(key): /ʁaːt/

• Audio:

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-rath

1. A placename suffix found chiefly in the northern Rhineland.

• -rade, -rode, -roth