Etymology Explorer › English

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

  1. Opposite, contrary; going in the opposite...

Ancestry of “reverse”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishreversIn a reverse way or direction; upside-down
2Anglo-Normanreversreverse; opposite; contrary; opposite; reverse
3Latinreversusreturned
4LatinrevertorI return; I turn back, turn around
5Latinrĕ-—
6Latinprōdūcō—
7Latinprō-—
8Proto-Italic*pro-—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
11Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “reverse”

  • reversal
  • reversely
  • reverser
  • renverse
  • reversive
  • reversable
  • nonreversal
  • autoreverse
  • prereversal
  • reversally
  • reverseth
  • reversest
  • unreverse
  • reverseless
  • reenverse
  • photoreversal
  • reverse-pickpocket
  • reverse pickpocket
  • unreversable
  • reverse gangbang
  • renverst
  • reversalism
  • reversality
  • reversalist
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →