Where does “counterproductive” come from?
Counterproductive comes from Middle English counter- combined with productive, tracing through Latin contra meaning "against" and duco meaning "to lead," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "to become" and "to go forward."
counterproductive (English): More of a hindrance than a help
Definitions
- More of a hindrance than a help
Ancestry of “counterproductive”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | productive | Capable of producing something, especially in... |
| 2 | Late Latin | productivus | fit for prolongation lengthening; productive |
| 3 | Latin | produco | I lead or bring forth, forward or out; I conduct... |
| 4 | Latin | pro- | forward direction, forward movement; action... |
| 5 | Latin | pro | + "ablative"; for; on behalf of, in the interest... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |