reuter

From Dutch ruiter (“robber; soldier; cavalryman”), from Middle Dutch ruter (“robber, looter”), from Old French routier, from rote, route, whence also German Rotte. The development from “robber” to “cavalryman” by association with Dutch rijder, ridder, German Reiter, Ritter. Later on, the word was considered a mere phonetic variant of Reiter and was accordingly discouraged by the German grammarians of the 18th century.