Where does “counterwitness” come from?

counterwitness (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,...

counterwitness (English): A witness whose testimony contradicts that of another witness

Definitions

  1. A witness whose testimony contradicts that of another witness

Ancestry of “counterwitness”, step by step

counterwitness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English counter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcounterOne who counts; A reckoner; someone who collects...
2Middle EnglishcountourAn accountant; a financial recordkeeper
3Middle FrenchcontoirAlternative spelling of comptoir
4Middle Frenchcompterto recount; to tell
5Old Frenchcompter
6Latincomputāre
7Latincomputōto calculate, compute, reckon together
8Latincom-allomorph of con-
9Latincon-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing...
10Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
11Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
12Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
13Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
14Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
15Middle Englishkyt
16Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
17Old High Germankuti
18Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
19Proto-Germanickweduzresin
20Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
21Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

via English Witness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWitnessJehovah's Witness
2English-nessAppended to adjectives to form nouns meaning "the...
3Middle English-nesseAffixed to adjectives to form abstract nouns...
4Old English-nesUsed to form abstract nouns, usually from...
5Proto-West Germanic-nassīUsed to form abstract nouns, usually from...
6Proto-Germanic-inassuz-ness
7Proto-West Germanic-ness, -th
8Proto-Germanic-į̄-th
9Proto-Indo-European-íh₂
10Proto-Indo-European-h₂Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-