Where does “reverse” come from?
Reverse comes from Middle English revers, though the ultimate origin and earliest meaning remain uncertain.
reverse (English): Opposite, contrary; going in the opposite...
Definitions
- Opposite, contrary; going in the opposite...
Ancestry of “reverse”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | revers | In a reverse way or direction; upside-down |
| 2 | Anglo-Norman | revers | reverse; opposite; contrary; opposite; reverse |
| 3 | Latin | reversus | returned |
| 4 | Latin | revertor | I return; I turn back, turn around |
| 5 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 6 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 7 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |