The word 'indirect' carries a hidden connection to kingship. Its ultimate ancestor is the Proto-Indo-European root *h₃reǵ-, meaning 'to move in a straight line' or 'to rule,' which generated an enormous family of English words: 'regal,' 'regulate,' 'reign,' 'right,' 'rector,' and 'direct' itself. Latin dirigere (to set straight) combined dis- (apart) and regere (to guide), and its past participle directus became the base for indirectus — literally 'not set straight.' The word entered Middle English in the 15th century for crooked or winding paths. Over time, English speakers extended it far beyond physical space. Indirect taxation (levied through intermediaries rather than directly on income), indirect speech (reporting what someone said without quoting them), and indirect evidence (circumstantial rather than eyewitness) all exploit the same metaphor: something that reaches its destination through a roundabout route. The word's quiet utility makes it one of the most common Latin-derived adjectives in modern English.