Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “counterclockwise” come from?

Counterclockwise combines English clock from Old English cloccian, Proto-Germanic klukkwōną, and Old French contre from Latin contra meaning "against," ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European ret- and Hróth₂-eh₂.

counterclockwise (English): In the direction of rotation opposite from...

Definitions

  1. In the direction of rotation opposite from...

Ancestry of “counterclockwise”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcounterOne who counts; A reckoner; someone who collects...
2Middle Englishcountour—
3Middle FrenchcontoirAlternative spelling of comptoir
4Middle Frenchcompterto recount; to tell
5Old Frenchcompter—
6Latincomputāre—
7Latincomputō—
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—
16Germankitt—
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,...

Words derived from “counterclockwise”

  • counterclockwisely
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →