Most people believe RIP simply means “rest in peace.” It appears on gravestones around the world and is commonly used when someone dies. For a long time, very few people questioned where the letters actually came from.
What surprised many people is not the meaning, but the origin. RIP did not begin as an English phrase. This also explains why the same three letters appear on graves in countries that do not speak English.
According to language experts, including Merriam-Webster, RIP comes from Latin. The original phrase is requiescat in pace, which means “may he or she rest in peace.”
In its original form, the phrase was a prayer. It asked for peace for the soul of the deceased, rather than stating that the person was already at rest. This wording began appearing on Christian tombstones around the 8th century.
Latin was the common language of the Church across Europe, which is why RIP spread to many countries and remained unchanged. Today, the phrase is often used casually, but those three letters carry centuries of religious and historical meaning.