Online Etymology Dictionary

counsellor (n.): early 13c., from Old French conseillier (Modern French conseiller), from Latin consilator, agent noun from consiliare, from consilium (see counsel (v.)). Meaning "one who gives professional legal advice" is from 1530s. Psychological sense (marriage counsellor, etc., is from 1940).
counselor (n.): see counsellor.
count (v.): mid-14c., from Old French conter "add up," but also "tell a story," from Latin computare (see compute). Related: Counted; counting. Modern French differentiates compter "to count" and conter "to tell," but they are cognates.
count (n.): title of nobility, c. 1300, from Anglo-French counte (Old French conte), from Latin comitem (nominative comes) "companion, attendant," the Roman term for a provincial governor, from com- "with" (see com-) + stem of ire "to go" (see ion). The term was used in Anglo-French to render Old English eorl, but the word was never truly naturalized and mainly was used with reference to foreign titles.
countdown (n.): 1953, American English, in early use especially of launches of rockets or missiles, from count (v.) + down.
countenance (n.): mid-13c., from Old French contenance "demeanor, bearing, conduct," from Latin continentia "restraint, abstemiousness, moderation," literally "way one contains oneself," from continentem, present participle of continere (see contain). Meaning evolving Middle English from "appearance" to "facial expression betraying a state of mind," to "face" itself (late 14c.).
countenance (v.): late 15c., "to behave or act," from countenance (n.). Sense of "to favor, patronize" is from 1560s, from notion of "to look upon with sanction or smiles." Related: Countenanced; countenancing.
counter (n.): mid-14c., "table where a money lender does business," from Old French contouer, comptoir (14c.) "counting room, table of a bank," from Medieval Latin computatorium "place of accounts," from Latin computatus, past participle of computare (see compute). Generalized 19c. from banks to shops, then extended to display cases for goods. Phrase under the counter is from 1926.
counter (v.): "go against," late 14c., from Old French countre "facing opposite" (see counter-). Related: Countered; countering. As an adverb, from mid-15c.; as an adjective, from 1590s.
Counter Reformation: 1840, from counter- + Reformation.
counter-: word-forming element meaning "against; in return; corresponding," from Anglo-French countre-, French contre-, from Latin contra "opposite, contrary to, against, in return," also used as a prefix (see contra-).
counteract (v.): 1670s, from counter- + act (v.). Related: Counteracted; counteracting.
counterargument (n.): 1862, from counter- + argument.
counterattack (n.): also counter-attack, 1882, from counter- + attack (n.); as two words from early 19c. The verb is recorded from 1916.
counterbalance (v.): 1570s, from counter- + balance (v.), in reference to scales. Figurative use dates from 1630s. As a noun, from c. 1600.
counterclockwise (adj., adv.): 1870, also counter-clockwise; from counter- + clockwise.
counterculture (n.): also counter-culture, counter culture, 1968, from counter- + culture (q.v.). Popularized by, and perhaps coined in, the book "The Making of a Counter Culture" by Theodore Roszak. As an adjective by 1972.
counterfactual (adj.): 1946, from counter- + factual.
counterfeit (v.): late 13c., from Old French contrefait "imitated" (Modern French contrefait), past participle of contrefaire "imitate," from contre- "against" (see contra-) + faire "to make, to do" (from Latin facere; see factitious). Medieval Latin contrafactio meant "setting in opposition or contrast." Related: Counterfeited; counterfeiting. The noun and adjective are from late 14c.
counterinsurgency (n.): 1962, from counter- + insurgency.
counterintelligence (n.): also counter-intelligence, 1940, from counter- + intelligence.
counterintuitive (adj.): also counter-intuitive, 1955, from counter- + intuitive.
countermand (v.): early 15c., from Old French contremander "reverse an order or command" (13c.), from contre- "against" (see contra-) + mander, from Latin mandare "to order" (see mandate (n.)). Related: Countermanded; countermanding.
countermeasure (n.): 1923, from counter- + measure (n.).
counteroffer (n.): 1788, from counter- + offer (n.).
counterpane (n.): "outer covering of a bed," c. 1600, alteration of earlier counterpoynte (mid-15c.; see counterpoint) on model of Middle French pan, Latin pannus "cloth" (see pane).
counterpart (n.): mid-15c., originally countre part "duplicate of a legal document," from Middle French contrepartie, from contre "facing, opposite" (see contra-) + partie "copy of a person or thing," originally fem. past participle of partir "to divide" (see party (n.)).
counterpoint (n.): early 15c., of stitching, from Old French cuilte contrepointe "quilt stitched through and through," altered from coute pointe, from Medieval Latin culcita puncta "quilted mattress," from Latin culcita "cushion" + puncta, fem. past participle of pungere "to prick, stab" (see pungent).

Of music, mid-15c., from Old French contrepoint, from Medieval Latin cantus contrapunctus, from contrapunctum, from Latin contra + puncta, with reference to the indication of musical notes by "pricking" with a pointed pen over or under the original melody on a manuscript.
counterpoise (n.): early 15c., from Old French contrepois (Modern French contrepoids), from contre- "against" (see contra-) + peis, from Latin pensum "weight," noun use of neuter past participle of pendere "to weigh" (see pendant).
counterproductive (adj.): also counter-productive, counter productive, 1920, American English, from counter- + productive.
counterrevolution (n.): also counter-revolution, 1791, from counter- + revolution. First recorded in U.S. with reference to American Revolution.
countersign (n.): 1590s, from Middle French contresigne, from contre- "against" (see contra-) + signe "sign" (see sign (n.)).
countertop (n.): 1878, from counter (n.) + top (n.1).
countervail (v.): late 14c., "to be worth as much as," also "to prevail against," from Anglo-French countrevaloir, Old French contrevaloir "to be effective against, be comparable to," from Latin phrase contra valere "to be worth against" (see contra- and valiant). Related: Countervailing.
countess (n.): mid-12c., adopted in Anglo-French for "the wife of an earl," from Medieval Latin cometissa, fem. of Latin comes "count" (see count (n.)).
countless (adj.): "numberless, uncountable," 1580s, from count (v.) + -less.
countrified (adj.): 1650s, from country + past participle form of -fy.
country (n.): mid-13c., "district, native land," from Old French contree, from Vulgar Latin *(terra) contrata "(land) lying opposite," or "(land) spread before one," from Latin contra "opposite, against" (see contra-). Sense narrowed 1520s to rural areas, as opposed to cities. Replaced Old English land. As an adjective from late 14c. First record of country-and-western music style is from 1942. Country club first recorded 1886. Country mile "a long way" is from 1915, American English.
countryman (n.): late 13c., from country + man (n.).
countryside (n.): mid-15c., literally "one side of a country" (a valley, a mountain range, etc.), from country + side (n.); hence, "any tract of land having a natural unity" (1727).
county (n.): c. 1300, from Anglo-French counte, from Late Latin comitatus "jurisdiction of a count," from Latin comes (see count (n.)); replaced Old English scir "shire."
coup (n.): c. 1400, "a blow," from Old French coup, colp "a blow, strike" (12c.), from Medieval Latin colpus, from Vulgar Latin colapus, from Latin colaphus "a cuff, box on the ear," from Greek kolaphos "a blow, buffet, punch, slap," "a lowly word without clear etymology" [Beekes]. Meaning "a sudden decisive act" is 1852, short for coup d'etat. In Modern French the word is a workhorse, describing everything from a pat on the back to a whipping, and is used as well of thunder, gusts of wind, gunshots, and chess moves.
coup d'etat (n.): 1640s, from French coup d'étate, literally "stroke of the state" (see coup). Technically any sudden, decisive political act but popularly restricted to the overthrow of a government.
coup de foudre (n.): 1779, from French coup de foudre, literally "stroke of lightning," also "love at first sight" (see coup).
coup de grace (n.): 1690s, from French coup de grâce, literally "stroke of grace;" the merciful death-blow that ends another's suffering (see coup).
coupe (n.): 1834, from French coupe (18c.), noun use of past participle of couper "to cut (in half);" see coup. Modern use is from early 19c. carrosse coupe "cut-off carriage," a shorter version of the berlin, minus the back seat. First applied to closed two-door automobiles 1897.
couple (n.): late 13c., from Old French cople "married couple, lovers" (12c., Modern French couple), from Latin copula "tie, connection," from PIE *ko-ap-, from *ko(m)- "together" + *ap- "to take, reach." Meaning broadened mid-14c. to "any two things."
couple (v.): c. 1200, from Old French copler, from cople (see couple (n.)). Related: Coupled; coupling.
couplet (n.): 1570s, in poetry, from French couplet (mid-14c.), a diminutive of couple (see couple (n.)). In music, from 1876.
coupon (n.): 1822, "certificate of interest due on a bond" (which could be cut from the bond and presented for payment), from French coupon, literally "piece cut off," from couper "to cut," from coup "a blow" (see coup). Meaning widened to "discount ticket" 1860s by British travel agent Thomas Cook. The specific advertising sense is from 1906.
COUPON. A financial term, which, together with the practice, is borrowed from France. In the United States, the certificates of State stocks drawing interest are accompanied by coupons, which are small tickets attached to the certificates. At each term when the interest falls due, one of these coupons is cut off (whence the name); and this being presented to the State treasurer or to a bank designated by him, entitles the holder to receive the interest. [Bartlett]