Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “contestable” come from?

Contestable derives from English contest, from French contester, from Latin contestor meaning to call to witness, formed from Latin com- meaning together and testis meaning witness.

contestable (English): That which can be contested

Definitions

  1. That which can be contested

Ancestry of “contestable”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcontestControversy; debate; Struggle for superiority;...
2Frenchcontesterto contest; to challenge; to dispute
3Old Frenchcontesterto contest; to dispute; to attest
4LatincontestorI call to witness
5Latincōn-—
6Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
7Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
8Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
10Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
11Middle Englishkyt—
12Germankitt—
13Old High Germankuti—
14Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
15Proto-Germanickweduzresin
16Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
17Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “contestable”

  • incontestable
  • incontestably
  • uncontestable
  • uncontestably
  • contestably
  • noncontestable
  • incontestableness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →