Where does “counter-offensive” come from?

counter-offensive (English) comes from English counter, from Middle English countour, from Middle French contoir, from Middle French compter, from Old French compter, from Latin computāre, from Latin computō, from Latin com- — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

counter-offensive (English): An attack made in response to a previous...

Definitions

  1. An attack made in response to a previous...

Ancestry of “counter-offensive”, step by step

counter-offensive traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English counter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcounterOne who counts; A reckoner; someone who collects...
2Middle EnglishcountourAn accountant; a financial recordkeeper
3Middle FrenchcontoirAlternative spelling of comptoir
4Middle Frenchcompterto recount; to tell
5Old Frenchcompter
6Latincomputāre
7Latincomputōto calculate, compute, reckon together
8Latincom-allomorph of con-
9Latincon-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing...
10Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
11Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
12Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
13Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
14Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
15Middle Englishkyt
16Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
17Old High Germankuti
18Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
19Proto-Germanickweduzresin
20Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
21Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

via English offensive

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoffensiveCausing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of...
2Middle Frenchoffensif
3Latinoffenderethird-person plural perfect active indicative of...
4LatinoffendoI hit, thrust, strike; I meet, encounter; I...
5Latinob-towards; against
6Latinobolusobolus (Greek coin)
7Ancient Greekὀβολόςobol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and...
8Ancient Greekὀβελόςa spit, rod; a horizontal line
9Ancient Greekβέλοςmissile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly...
10Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷélHos
11Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷelH-to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet-Every word from Proto-Germanic kweduz