Where does “wordcount” come from?

wordcount (English) comes from English count, from Middle English counten, from Anglo-Norman conter, from Old French conter, from Latin computō, from Latin com-, from Latin con-, from Latin cum — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

wordcount (English): The number of words in a document

Definitions

  1. The number of words in a document

Ancestry of “wordcount”, step by step

wordcount traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English count

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcountTo recite numbers in sequence; To determine the...
2Middle EnglishcountenTo count enumerate; give the number of
3Anglo-Normanconterto tell; to say; to recount; to add up
4Old Frenchconterto tell; to say; to recount; to add up
5Latincomputōto calculate, compute, reckon together
6Latincom-allomorph of con-
7Latincon-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing...
8Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
9Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
10Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
11Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
12Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
13Middle Englishkyt
14Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
15Old High Germankuti
16Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
17Proto-Germanickweduzresin
18Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
19Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

via English word

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwordThe smallest unit of language that has a...
2Middle EnglishwordA word; A statement; a linguistic unit said or...
3Old Englishworðword
4Proto-Germanic*word
5Proto-Germanicwurdąword
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwerdʰo-word
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwerh₁-to speak, say
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-