DictionaryRoot: contra
Latin
contra
against or opposite
Forms
- contra
- contra- — Used when joined to another element.
- counter- — Developed through French contre-.
Origin
Latin contra developed from an older expression of opposition or facing toward.
Note
Opposition can mean physical position, disagreement, or an action in response.
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verb
contravene
kon-truh-VEEN/ˌkɑːntrəˈviːn/
To violate or conflict with a rule or law.
Etymology
Literally “to come against,” contravene turns opposition into a legal relationship: an action comes into conflict with a rule. The ancestor already developed the sense “to transgress or break a law.”