contour etymology

Etymology:

  • French contour "outline," from Old French contor "circuit," from Late Latin contornus "being around, circuitous," from Latin contra "against, around" + tornus "turning," from Greek tornos "turning lathe"

Meaning:

  • A line defining the outline or shape of an object
  • The variations in relief of a surface

Origin:

The word "contour" comes from the French word "contour," which is derived from the Latin "contornus," meaning "being around or circuitous." This word is related to the Latin word "contra," meaning "against" or "around," and the Greek word "tornos," meaning "turning lathe." The term "contour" was first used in English in the 16th century to describe the outline or shape of an object. Today, the word is used in a variety of fields, including geography, engineering, and art, to describe the variations in relief or shape of a surface.

contour relate terms

  • turn

    Etymology The word turn comes from the Old English word turnian meaning to cause to

  • attorn

    Etymology The word attorn derives from the Anglo Norman French attorner meaning to

  • attorney

    Etymology The word attorney originates from the Middle English word attourne which

  • attrition

    Etymology The word attrition is derived from the Latin word attritio which means ru

  • contour

    Etymology French contour outline from Old French contor circuit from Late Latin c

  • contrite

    Etymology Latin contritus past participle of conterere to rub together crush grind

  • detour

    Etymology French détour from Old French destorner to turn away Vulgar Latin di

  • detriment

    Etymology From Middle French détriment from Latin dētrīmentum diminution loss d

  • diatribe

    Etymology Latin diatriba from Greek διατριβή diatribē Meaning A bitt

  • drill

    Etymology The word drill derives from the Middle English word dryllen meaning to pi

  • lithotripsy

    Etymology Lithotripsy comes from the Greek words Lithos λίθος meaning stone T

  • septentrion

    Etymology The word septentrion comes from the Latin word septentriō which in turn c

  • thrash

    Etymology The word thrash is thought to have originated from Old English threscan

  • thread

    Etymology The word thread traces its origins back to the Old English word thræd whi

  • thresh

    Etymology The word thresh derives from the Old English þerscan meaning to beat or

  • throw

    Etymology Old English thragan Proto Germanic þragjaną Proto Indo European d

  • threshold

    Etymology Old English therscwald doorsill threshold From Proto Germanic threskō

  • trauma

    Etymology The word trauma comes from the Greek word τραῦμα trauma which mea

  • trepan

    Etymology Origin Greek trypanon borer drill auger Suffix an forming nouns den

  • tribology

    Etymology Tribology is derived from the Greek words tribos τριβος meaning ru

  • tribulation

    Etymology From Late Latin tribulationem oppression trouble from Latin tribulum

  • trite

    Etymology and Origin The word trite comes from the Latin word tritus which means ru

  • triticale

    Etymology The word triticale is a portmanteau of the genus names Triticum wheat and S

  • triturate

    Etymology Latin trīturāre tritūrātum from trītus past participle of terere to

  • trout

    Trout Etymology and Origin The word trout is derived from the Middle English term tro

  • trypsin

    Etymology and Meaning of Trypsin Etymology Trypsin derives its name from two Greek word

  • tryptophan

    Etymology and Meaning The word tryptophan is derived from the Greek words trypto mea

  • turn

    Etymology The word turn comes from the Old English word turnian meaning to cause to

  • shape

    Etymology The word shape comes from the Old English word sceape meaning form or f

  • form

    Etymology The word form originates from the Latin word forma which means shape or

  • configuration

    Etymology Configure derives from the Latin word configurare which means to shape or

  • deformation

    Etymology Old French deformacion Latin deformatio from deformare to disfigure de

  • deformity

    Etymology Latin deformis meaning deformed misshapen From de meaning away fr

  • sharp

    Etymology Sharp originates from the Old English word scearp meaning cutting or point

  • silhouette

    Etymology French silhouette Origin after Étienne de Silhouette French minister of f

  • characteristic

    Etymology Character lt Latin character engraving tool writing implement character

  • curve

    Etymology The word curve originates from the Latin word curvus which means bent o

  • from

    Etymology refers to the study of the origin and history of words including their meaning