Where does “counteract” come from?
Counteract derives from Middle English counter- combined with Old French acte, from Latin actum, the past participle of agere meaning "to do or drive," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ-.
counteract (English): An action performed in opposition to another...
Definitions
- An action performed in opposition to another...
Ancestry of “counteract”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Act | — |
| 2 | English | actually | In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively;... |
| 3 | English | actual | relating to a person's acts or deeds; active,... |
| 4 | Middle English | actual | actual, real, true |
| 5 | Anglo-Norman | actuel | — |
| 6 | Old French | actual | — |
| 7 | Latin | actuālis | active, practical |
| 8 | Latin | āctus | made, done, having been done |
| 9 | Latin | agō | to act, to behave |
| 10 | Proto-Italic | agō | drive; push, impel; do, act |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éǵeti | to be driving |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eǵ- | to drive |