Etymograph

English

kontor

Kontor comes from German Kontor ‘trading post, factory’, and goes back to Middle French contoir.

  1. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600contoir
  2. Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500contoor
  3. Germanc. 1650–presentKontor‘trading post, factory’
  4. Englishtodaykontor

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600contoir
  2. Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500contoor
  3. Germanc. 1650–presentKontor‘trading post, factory’
  4. Englishtodaykontor

The story

Attested since late 19th century.

Every English word from Middle French contoir

Today it means

noun One of the four chief trading posts of the Hanseatic League that enjoyed a great degree of legal autonomy; located in Bruges, London, Bergen and Novgorod.

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

Etymograph / Middle French contoir / kontor

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