English
contra
Contra comes from Latin contrā ‘contrary to’, from Proto-Italic *komteros ‘the other of the two who meet, opposite’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm ‘with, along, at’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱóm‘with, along, at’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kom‘with’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*kom-‘together’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*komteros‘the other of the two who meet, opposite’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*komterādreconstructedablative singular feminine of *komteros
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcontrā‘contrary to’
- Englishearliest quotation 1893contra
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱóm‘with, along, at’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kom‘with’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*kom-‘together’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*komteros‘the other of the two who meet, opposite’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*komterādreconstructedablative singular feminine of *komteros
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcontrā‘contrary to’
- Englishearliest quotation 1893contra
Earliest quotation: 1893, Victoria: “[…] it is useless to pray “Thy kingdom come”…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm ‘with, along, at’
among, gain, comply, hind, likeness, kata, limbed, 31 more
through Proto-Italic *kom ‘with’
cum, consideration, cue, 14 more
through Proto-Italic *kom- ‘together’
conference, consider, competition, concrete, consistent, commodity, compulsory, compel, concierge, connotation, condiment, condescend, 15 more
through Latin contrā ‘contrary to’
Today it means
prep Against; contrary or opposed to; in opposition or contrast to.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm / contra