countenance etymology

Etymology:

• From Old French contenance ("appearance"), from Medieval Latin continentia ("condition, demeanor"), from Latin continēre ("to hold together, restrain").

Meaning:

• The facial expression of a person, especially as indicative of their feelings.
• A person's general demeanor, bearing, or appearance.
• The outward appearance or aspect of something.

Origin:

• The word "countenance" traces its roots back to the Latin verb "continere," meaning "to hold together" or "restrain." Over time, it came to be used in a figurative sense to refer to the way in which a person's emotions or intentions are restrained or controlled.
• By the Middle Ages, the term had evolved into the Old French contenance, which specifically denoted the outward appearance or demeanor of a person. This sense of the word was introduced into English during the 14th century.
• In modern usage, "countenance" can refer to both the facial expression and the general bearing of an individual. It can also be used in a more abstract sense to describe the outward aspect or appearance of something.

countenance relate terms

• discountenance

  Etymology French décontenancer Late Latin dis continentia self possession Lati

• countenance

  Etymology From Old French contenance appearance from Medieval Latin continentia

• abstain

  Etymology Middle English abstynen Old French and Anglo Norman abstinence Latin absti

• abstention

  Etymology The word abstention is derived from the Latin word abstinere which means

• abstinence

  Etymology Late Middle English from Old French abstinence from Latin abstinentia from

• abstinent

  Etymology The word abstinent comes from the Latin word abstinens which means refra

• atelectasis

  Etymology The word atelectasis is derived from the Greek words ἀτελής atelē

• attend

  Etymology Old French atendre Late Latin attendere from ad to towards tendere

• attenuate

  Etymology Late Latin attenuare from Latin attenuis thin slender slight From Proto

• attenuation

  Etymology Latin attenuare to make thin Proto Indo European ten thin Meani

• baritone

  Etymology Late Middle English 14th century from Italian baritono from Greek barys

• catatonia

  Etymology Catatonia is derived from Greek roots Kata down Tonos tone or te

• catatonic

  Etymology Greek katatonia katá down tonos tension Meaning A state of reduced

• contain

  Etymology Latin continere Late Latin contēnere Meaning To hold or enclose s

• contend

  Etymology and Meaning Contend comes from the Latin word contendere which means to str

• continue

  Etymology Latin continuus uninterrupted continuous Meaning and Origin 1 Cont

• detain

  Etymology Old French detenir Latin detinere from detinere to detain hold back Pre

• detente

  Etymology French détendre to loosen relax from Late Latin distendere to stretch ou

• detention

  Etymology Derived from Latin detinere meaning to hold back detain or keep De

• diatonic

  Etymology The word diatonic is derived from the Greek word διάτονος diatóno

• distend

  Etymology From Middle English disten dysten c 1400 from Anglo Norman French disten

• entertain

  Etymology Derivatives of the word entertain include Old French entartenir to hol

• extend

  Etymology Origin Latin extendere meaning to stretch out Meaning To lengthen str

• extenuate

  Etymology Latin extenuare Meaning to make thin weaken Meaning Extenuate mean

• hypotenuse

  Etymology The word hypotenuse is derived from the Greek words hypo below or un

• hypotonia

  Etymology hypo Greek under or below tonos Greek tone or tension Meanin

• intend

  Etymology Middle English entenden from Anglo Norman French entendre from Medieval La

• intone

  Etymology The word intone derives from the Latin verb intonāre meaning to thunder

• isotonic

  Etymology The term isotonic is derived from two Greek roots iso meaning equal

• lieutenant

  Etymology The word lieutenant comes from the Old French word lieutenant which in tur

• locum tenens

  Etymology Latin locum place tenens holding Meaning A person who temporarily

• maintain

  Etymology Derived from the Old French word maintenir which means to hold keep or

• monotony

  Etymology Latin monotonia Greek monos single sole tonos tone Meaning

• neoteny

  Etymology The word neoteny is derived from the Greek words neos νέος meaning

• obtain

  Etymology the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have chang

• ostensible

  Etymology Latin ostendere to show exhibit Past participle ostensus French os

• peritoneum

  Etymology Greek peri around teinein to stretch Meaning A serous membran

• pertain

  Etymology Latin pertinēre to belong to to have a relation to to concern Proto In

• pertinacious

  Etymology Late Latin pertinacis pertinax resolute persistent Latin pertinere to

• portend

  Etymology Old French portendre Latin portendere from porro forward tendere t

• pretend

  Pretend Etymology From Middle English pretenden meaning to claim or profess to be

• rein

  Rein Etymology The word rein is derived from the Middle English term reine which is

• retain

  Etymology Retain is derived from the Latin word retinere meaning to hold back ke

• retinue

  Etymology The word retinue is derived from the Old French word retenue which means

• sitar

  Etymology The word sitar is derived from the Persian word setar which means three s

• subtend

  Etymology Old French subtendre Latin sub under tendere to stretch Meaning

• sustain

  Etymology Latin sustinēre to hold up sustain endure Proto Indo European steh₂

• telangiectasia

  Etymology Telangiectasia is derived from the Greek roots Telangi meaning blood ves

• temple

  Etymology The English word temple is derived from the Latin word templum which in t

• temple

  Etymology The English word temple is derived from the Latin word templum which in t

• temporal

  Etymology The word temporal is derived from Latin temporalis which in turn comes fro

• tenable

  Etymology Latin tenēre to hold keep possess Indo European root ten to stretch

• tenacious

  Etymology Latin tenax tenacis holding fast grasping Proto Indo European ten

• tenacity

  Etymology Old French tence adjectival noun meaning tenacity Latin tenacitas tigh

• tenant

  Etymology Old French tenant Latin tenens present participle of tenere to hold

• tend

  Etymology The word tend comes from the Middle English word tenden which in turn com

• tendency

  Etymology The word tendency comes from the Latin word tendere which means to stretc

• tender

  Etymology The word tender comes from the Old French verb tendre meaning to stretch

• tender

  Etymology The word tender comes from the Old French verb tendre meaning to stretch

• tendon

  Etymology The word tendon is derived from the Latin word tendo which means I stretc

• tendril

  Etymology Middle English tendel from Anglo Norman French tendel from Vulgar Lati

• tenement

  Etymology Tenement originates from the Latin word tenere meaning to hold or to p

• tenesmus

  Etymology Tenesmus comes from the Greek word teinō meaning to strain or stretch an

• tenet

  Etymology Latin teneō meaning to hold keep or possess Meaning A principle

• tennis

  Etymology The word tennis is derived from the French word tenez which means hold o

• tenon

  Etymology Latin tenuis thin slender Old French tenon Meaning A protruding

• tenor

  Etymology The word tenor comes from the Latin word tenere meaning to hold Meanin

• tense

  Etymology Old French tens Latin tempus time Meaning A form of a verb that in

• tensile

  Etymology The word tensile is derived from the Latin word tensilis meaning able to

• tension

  Etymology Latin tensio a stretching Proto Indo European ten to stretch Me

• tensor

  Etymology The word tensor is derived from the Latin verb tendere which means to str

• tent

  Etymology The word tent originates from the Old French word tente which itself comes

• tenterhooks

  Etymology Tenter refers to a frame used in clothmaking to stretch and dry fabric whi

• tenuous

  Etymology The word tenuous comes from the Latin word tenuis meaning thin slender or

• tenure

  Etymology Latin tenura holding tenure possession Old French tenure holding Midd

• tetanus

  Etymology Greek tetanos Latin tetanus Meaning A rigid involuntary contracti

• thin

  Etymology The word thin is derived from the Old English word þynne which is itself

• tone

  Etymology Origin Middle English toune from Old English tun meaning enclosed set

• tonic

  Etymology The word tonic comes from the Latin word tonicus which means pertaining

• permit

  Etymology The word permit derives from the Latin verb permittere which means to all

• allow

  Etymology Middle English allowen alowe from Old French aloer alouer from Late Latin

• dignity

  Etymology The word dignity comes from the Latin word dignitas which means worth or

• physiognomy

  Etymology Greek physis nature growth gnomon indicator interpreter Meaning

• cheer

  Etymology The word cheer has its roots in the Middle English word chere which in tu

• face

  Etymology The word face comes from the Middle English word face which in turn derive

• include

  Word Odyssey Etymology Greek odysseia meaning story of Odysseus Derived from the