control

The story

1. Latin · derived fromrotula“roll, a little wheel”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromrotulus
3. Latin · derived fromcontrā“against, opposite”
4. Medieval Latin · derived fromcontrārotulus“a counter-roll or register used to verify accounts”
5. Old French · derived fromcontrerole
6. Middle English · inherited fromcontrollen
7. English todaycontrol

From Middle English controllen, from Old French contrerole, from Medieval Latin contrārotulus (“a counter-roll or register used to verify accounts”), from Latin contrā (“against, opposite”) + Medieval Latin rotulus, Latin rotula (“roll, a little wheel”), diminutive of rota (“a wheel”). Partly displaced native Old English wealdan and Old English wieldan, whence their merged reflex English wield.

Words from the same roots