Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “countermand” come from?

Countermand derives from Old French contremander, from Latin contramando, combining contra (against) and manus (hand), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to give or place.

countermand (English): To revoke ; to cancel or rescind by giving an...

Definitions

  1. To revoke ; to cancel or rescind by giving an...

Ancestry of “countermand”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchcontremanderto countermand
2Medieval Latincontramando—
3Latinmandō—
4Latinmanushand; bravery, valor; violence, fighting
5Proto-Italicmanushand
6Proto-Indo-Europeanman-human being; man; hand

Words derived from “countermand”

  • countermandable
  • uncountermandable
  • countermander
  • countermandment
Every word from Proto-Indo-European man- →