contradict

Where does the word "contradict" come from? It comes from Latin contradicere, and was adopted directly into English (1570s).

Contradict’s story begins in Latin: contradicere meant “to say against.” To say against, from contra- (against) and dicere (to say). It reached English by 1570s as contradict. Settled as the English word for stating the opposite of something said. Today, contradict means to assert the opposite of a statement made by someone else.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient contradicere "to say against", to say against, from contra- (against) and dicere (to say).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1570s contradict "to state the opposite of something said", settled as the English word for stating the opposite of something said.