Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “contort” come from?

contort (English) comes from Latin contortus, from Latin contorqueō, from Latin cōn-, from Latin cum, from Old Latin com, from Proto-Italic kom, from Proto-Indo-European ḱóm, from Proto-Indo-European ḱe — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

contort (English): To twist in a violent manner; To twist into or as...

Definitions

  1. To twist in a violent manner; To twist into or as...

Ancestry of “contort”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincontortuscontorted; intricate, involved; brandished
2Latincontorqueō—
3Latincōn-—
4Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
5Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
6Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
9Middle Englishkyt—
10Germankitt—
11Old High Germankuti—
12Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
13Proto-Germanickweduzresin
14Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
15Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “contort”

  • contortive
  • contorter
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →