Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “contour” come from?

contour (French) comes from French contourner, from Vulgar Latin contornare, from Latin cum, from Old Latin com, from Proto-Italic kom, from Proto-Indo-European ḱóm, from Proto-Indo-European ḱe, from Middle English kyt — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

contour (French): contour

Definitions

  1. contour

Ancestry of “contour”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcontournerto circumvent, to bypass, to skirt around; to...
2Vulgar Latincontornare—
3Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
4Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
5Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
8Middle Englishkyt—
9Germankitt—
10Old High Germankuti—
11Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
12Proto-Germanickweduzresin
13Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
14Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “contour”

  • contour
  • contourite
  • contourlet
  • recontour
  • isocontour
  • contourless
  • contourable
  • contouritic
  • kontur
  • kontur
  • contur
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →