An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Rede
Rede, feminine, ‘speech, discourse, oration,’ from Middle High German ręde, Old High German rędia, ręda, feminine, ‘account, speech and reply, speech, narrative, information’; corresponding to Old Saxon ręðia, feminine, ‘account,’ Gothic raþjô, feminine, ‘account, bill, number’; to this is allied Gothic garaþjan, ‘to count,’ and further the phonetic equivalent Latin ratio, ‘computation, account, number,’ &c. From the same Teutonic root raþ (pre-Teutonic rat), signifying ‘number,’ hund-ert (which see) is derived. —