Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “counteroffensive” come from?

Counteroffensive comes from Middle French offensif and Old French countre-, ultimately tracing through Latin offendere (to strike against), contra (against), and rota, with roots in Proto-Indo-European gʰwen-.

counteroffensive (English): US spelling of counter-offensive

Definitions

  1. US spelling of counter-offensive

Ancestry of “counteroffensive”, step by step

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
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 gʷelH- →