Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Drag to rotate
Tracing “”…
Where does the word "counter" come from? It comes from Latin computare, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "counter" come from? It comes from Latin computare, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Counter’s story begins in Latin: computare meant “to reckon.” The root of 'count' and 'compute'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as conteor. A table where money was counted. It reached English by 1300s as counter. Shop 'counters' date from the 1600s. Today, counter means a flat surface for serving customers.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient computare "to reckon", the root of 'count' and 'compute'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval conteor "counting table", a table where money was counted.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s counter "counting board", shop 'counters' date from the 1600s.