English
opposite
Opposite comes from Middle English opposit, from Old French oposite, from Latin oppositus ‘set against’, past participle of oppōnō ‘to oppose’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱey-‘to settle’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱinétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sinō‘to put in place’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*pozinōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpōnō‘to put, place’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEoppōnō‘to set against, oppose’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400oposite
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500opposit
- Englishearliest quotation 1697opposite
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱey-‘to settle’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱinétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sinō‘to put in place’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*pozinōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpōnō‘to put, place’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEoppōnō‘to set against, oppose’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400oposite
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500opposit
- Englishearliest quotation 1697opposite
Earliest quotation: 1697, Virgil, Dedication: “Novels, by which the reader is misled into another…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- ‘to cultivate’
homeless, compound, suppose, hamlet, impose, bohemian, homely, hame, 50 more
through Proto-Indo-European *tḱinéti
through Proto-Italic *sinō ‘to put in place’
situation, composition, posture, preposition, supposition, situate, compostela, positivism, situs, apposite, 40 more
through Proto-Italic *pozinō
proposition, exposition, disposition, deposition, compost, imposition, impost, suppository, presupposition, compositor, 25 more
through Latin pōnō ‘put’
post, position, purpose, positive, expose, consolation, propose, dispose, compose, proponent, repository, exponent, expound, pone, posit, presuppose, 54 more
through Latin oppōnō ‘to oppose’
Today it means
adj Located directly across from something else, or from each other.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- / opposite