Where does “countertop” come from?
Countertop derives from English counter (from Old French contre, from Latin contra) combined with English top, ultimately tracing through Latin contra and related formation elements.
countertop (English): The top surface of a counter, for preparation of...
Definitions
- The top surface of a counter, for preparation of...
Ancestry of “countertop”, step by step
countertop 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 top
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | top | The highest or uppermost part of something; A... |
| 2 | Middle English | top | The summit or top of something, especially a... |
| 3 | Old English | topp | top, summit (of something) |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *topp | top, summit, crest |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | tuppaz | tuft, plait; top, summit |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dumb- | tail, rod, staff, pole, penis; tail, rod, staff,... |