Where does “controffensivo” come from?

controffensivo (Italian) comes from Italian offensivo, from Medieval Latin offensivus, from Latin offensus, from Latin offendō, from Latin ob-, from Latin obolus, from Ancient Greek ὀβολός, from Ancient Greek ὀβελός — to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing.

controffensivo (Italian): counteroffensive

Definitions

  1. counteroffensive

Ancestry of “controffensivo”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italianoffensivooffensive; insulting
2Medieval Latinoffensivus
3Latinoffensuscollision, knock, blow; offensive, odious
4Latinoffendōto hit, thrust, strike against something
5Latinob-towards; against
6Latinobolusobolus (Greek coin)
7Ancient Greekὀβολόςobol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and...
8Ancient Greekὀβελόςa spit, rod; a horizontal line
9Ancient Greekβέλοςmissile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly...
10Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷélHos
11Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷelH-to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH-Every word from Latin ob-Every word from Latin offendō