Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “overcost” come from?

overcost (English) comes from English cost, from Middle English cost, from Middle English costen, from Old French couster, from Medieval Latin costo, from Latin consto, from Latin com-, from Latin con- — whale, sea monster; abyss.

overcost (English): excessive cost

Definitions

  1. excessive cost

Ancestry of “overcost”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcostTo incur a charge of; to require payment of a ...
2Middle Englishcostmeans
3Middle Englishcostento cost
4Old FrenchcousterAlternative form of coster; to cost
5Medieval Latincosto—
6Latinconstoto stand together; to stand still; to remain the...
7Latincom-allomorph of con-
8Latincon-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing...
9Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
10Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
11Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
12Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
13Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
14Middle Englishkyt—
15Russianкитwhale; genitive plural of ки́та
16Old Church Slavonicкитъwhale
17Ancient Greekκῆτοςwhale, sea monster; abyss
Every word from Ancient Greek κῆτος →