From Proto-Italic *rēpō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reh₁p- (“to creep”). Compare with Lithuanian rėplióti, roplóti (“to creep”), Latvian rãpât, râpt (“to creep”), Middle High German rebe (“offshoot, bud”), Middle High German reben (“to move, stir”), Persian رفتن (raftan, “to go”).