Etymograph

English

counterfeit

Counterfeit comes from Old French contrefait, from Latin faciō ‘to make’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-1reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyéti1reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjō1reconstructed
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō1‘to make’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfaciō2as facere‘to make’
  6. Old Frenchc. 842–1400contrefait2
  7. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400countrefait2
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500counterfeit2
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1523counterfeit2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin facio
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English counterfeit
  3. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1523, John Skelton, A Ryght Delectable Tratyse vpon a Goodly Garlande or Chapele: “How Cownterfet Cowntenaunce of the new get / With…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-Wiktionary, Latin facioreconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétiWiktionary, Latin facioreconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjōWiktionary, Latin facioreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjōWiktionary, Latin facio‘to make’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfaciōWiktionary, English counterfeitas facere‘to make’
  6. Old Frenchc. 842–1400contrefaitWiktionary, English counterfeit
  7. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400countrefaitWiktionary, English counterfeit
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500counterfeitWiktionary, English counterfeit
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1523counterfeitWiktionary, English counterfeit. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1523, John Skelton, A Ryght Delectable Tratyse vpon a Goodly Garlande or Chapele: “How Cownterfet Cowntenaunce of the new get / With…”

Linked words

through Proto-Italic *θakjō

effectively, effectiveness, ineffective, affectionate, imperfection, putrefaction, 62 more

through Proto-Italic *fakjō ‘to make’

effective, factor, difficulty, manufacture, faction, affection, perfection, interface, facet, imperfect, affective, defection, defector, effector, deface, affectation, confectionary, 68 more

through Latin faciō ‘to make’

face, fact, difficult, effect, perfect, feature, profit, facility, affect, faculty, affair, sacrifice, efficient, infection, facial, deficit, feat, facilitate, efficacy, defect, fetish, facade, superficial, infect, deficient, facsimile, hacienda, maleficent, aficionado, beautify, facies, efficacious, difficile, confection, parfait, refectory, beneficent, confit, 85 more

Today it means

adj False, especially of money; intended to deceive or carry appearance of being genuine.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “counterfeit”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Latin facio. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- / counterfeit

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