Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “counter-” come from?

counter- (English) comes from Middle English counter-, from Old French countre-, from Old French contre, from Latin contrā, from Latin ubī, from Latin cubī, from Proto-Italic *kʷuðei.

counter- (English): in opposition to

Definitions

  1. in opposition to

Ancestry of “counter-”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcounter-—
2Old Frenchcountre-Alternative form of contre-
3Old Frenchcontreagainst
4Latincontrā—
5Latinubī—
6Latincubī—
7Proto-Italic*kʷuðei—

Words derived from “counter-”

  • counteract
  • counterproductive
  • counterpoint
  • counterbalance
  • counterfactual
  • counterclockwise
  • counterinsurgency
  • counterintuitive
  • counteracting
  • counterculture
  • countertransference
  • counterclaim
  • counterweight
  • counterparty
  • counterpane
  • countercultural
  • counterintelligence
  • counterexample
  • counterrevolutionary
  • countermeasure
  • counterargument
  • counterforce
  • counteraction
  • counterrevolution
Every word from Proto-Italic *kʷuðei →