Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “incontestable” come from?

Incontestable derives from English contest, combined with the prefix in- from Latin, ultimately from Latin testis meaning witness and cum meaning with.

incontestable (English): Not contestable; indisputable; certain

Definitions

  1. Not contestable; indisputable; certain

Ancestry of “incontestable”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcontestableThat which can be contested
2EnglishcontestControversy; debate; Struggle for superiority;...
3Frenchcontesterto contest; to challenge; to dispute
4Old Frenchcontesterto contest; to dispute; to attest
5LatincontestorI call to witness
6Latincōn-—
7Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
8Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
9Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
12Middle Englishkyt—
13Germankitt—
14Old High Germankuti—
15Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
16Proto-Germanickweduzresin
17Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
18Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “incontestable”

  • incontestably
  • incontestableness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →