Where does “countersway” come from?
countersway (English) comes from English counter, from Middle English countour, from Middle French contoir, from Middle French compter, from Old French compter, from Latin computāre, from Latin computō, from Latin com- — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
countersway (English): A swaying in a contrary direction; an opposing...
Definitions
- A swaying in a contrary direction; an opposing...
Ancestry of “countersway”, step by step
countersway traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English counter
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | counter | One who counts; A reckoner; someone who collects... |
| 2 | Middle English | countour | An accountant; a financial recordkeeper |
| 3 | Middle French | contoir | Alternative spelling of comptoir |
| 4 | Middle French | compter | to recount; to tell |
| 5 | Old French | compter | — |
| 6 | Latin | computāre | — |
| 7 | Latin | computō | to calculate, compute, reckon together |
| 8 | Latin | com- | allomorph of con- |
| 9 | Latin | con- | Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing... |
| 10 | Latin | cum | with, along with; at; -fold |
| 11 | Old Latin | com | Alternative form of cum |
| 12 | Proto-Italic | kom | with, along, at |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱóm | beside, near, by, with |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱe | Deictic particle, here; Post-positional... |
| 15 | Middle English | kyt | — |
| 16 | German | kitt | putty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes |
| 17 | Old High German | kuti | — |
| 18 | Proto-West Germanic | kwidu | gum, resin |
| 19 | Proto-Germanic | kweduz | resin |
| 20 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷet- | resin, gum; to say, speak |
| 21 | Proto-Indo-European | gū- | to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,... |
via English sway
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sway | The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or... |
| 2 | English | swear | To take an oath, to promise; To use offensive,... |
| 3 | Middle English | sware | Alternative form of square; A response to a query... |
| 4 | Old English | swaru | an oath, vow |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | swarō | a solemn statement or affirmation; oath; vow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | swer- | to ache; to fester; wound; injury |