Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “contractual” come from?

Contractual derives from English contract plus the suffix -al, with contract coming from Latin contractus, the past participle of contrahere meaning to draw together, formed from Latin com- and trahere meaning to pull.

contractual (English): Of, relating to, or enforced by a contract

Definitions

  1. Of, relating to, or enforced by a contract

Ancestry of “contractual”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincontractuscollected, accomplished, contracted; narrow,...
2Latincontrahō—
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 “contractual”

  • contractually
  • contractualism
  • precontractual
  • noncontractual
  • extracontractual
  • quasicontractual
  • contractualistic
  • contractualise
  • contractualize
  • noncontractually
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →