An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A prefix used with the meanings “against, contrary, opposite.” → contra-.

Etymology (EN): M.E. countre-, from O.Fr. contre-, from L. contra “opposite, against;” PIE base *kom- “beside, near, by, with.”

Etymology (PE): Pâd- “contrary to; against; opposing,” variants

pâ- (pâsox, pâzahr, pâhang, → response),

paž- (pažvâk, → echo, pažâvand “the bar of a door or a gate, door lock”),

baž- (bažkam, → forbidden),

pat- (patvâz, → correspond),

pa- (panâh, padid),

from Mid.Pers.
pât-, from O.Pers. paity “agaist, back, opposite to, toward, face to face, in front of,” Av. paiti, akin to Skt. práti “toward, against, again, back, in return, opposite,” Pali pati-, Gk. proti, pros “face to face with, toward, in addition to, near;” PIE *proti.