Etymology of the English word counterfeit
the English word
counterfeitderived from the Old French word
contrefaitderived from the Old French word
contrefairederived from the Latin word
contrafacere (act against; counterfeit, forge, fake)
derived from the Latin word
facere (to make; act, take action, be active; compose, write; classify; do, make; create; make, build, construct; produce; produce by growth; bring forth)
derived from the Proto-Indo-European root
*dhē-using the Latin prefix
contra-derived from the Latin word
contraderived from the Proto-Indo-European root
*kom (near, with, together)
Date
The earliest known usage of counterfeit in English dates from the 13th century.
Derivations in English
counterfeited,
counterfeitingUsage
Word found in Modern English
