Etymology

countenance

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Today it means: Appearance, especially the features and expression of the face. Full definition →

Middle English contenaunce ← Anglo-Norman countenance ← Old French contenance
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The story

  1. Late Latin · derived fromcontinentia
  2. Old French · derived fromcontenance
  3. Anglo-Norman · derived fromcountenance
  4. Middle English · inherited fromcontenaunce
  5. English todaycountenance

From Middle English contenaunce, countenaunce, from Anglo-Norman countenance and Old French contenance, from the present participle of contenir, or from Late Latin continentia, and therefore a doublet of continence.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.