Etymology

counterword

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Today it means: A word (for example so) that is frequently used in a reflex-like manner in an answer and that has thereby quickly taken on a new, much less specific or much looser meaning or is even almost meaningless and performs a completely new function. Full definition →

English word ← Middle English counter- ← Anglo-Norman countre-
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Proto-Italic*komteros
  6. Proto-Italic*komterād
  7. Latincontrā
  8. Old Frenchcontre-
  9. Anglo-Normancountre-
  10. Middle Englishcounter-
  11. Englishcounter-
  12. Englishword
  13. English todaycounterword

From counter- + word.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.