English

face-off

From face + off, or a deverbal from face off, c.

A compound of face + off

Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k-

…

Latin faciēs ‘form’

Late Latin facia

Old French face

Middle English face

English face

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep

…

Proto-West Germanic *ab

Old English æf ‘of’

Old English of ‘from’

Middle English of

English off

Today it means

noun A confrontation or argument between two people or groups.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / face-off