Reverse
/rɪˈvɜːrs/noun
To move, turn, or go in the opposite direction; also, to undo or invert something.
Did you know?Its deepest root is tied to the same ancient Indo-European idea behind turning and plowing back over land, so “reverse” began as a word of literal directional force before becoming a mental one.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wer-
“to turn, bend”
Latin
Latin
vertere
“to turn”
Latin
Latin
reversus
“turned back, returned”
Old French
Old French
reverser
“to turn back, overthrow”
Middle English
English
reverse
“to turn back; opposite; contrary”
Modern English
English
reverse
“to move or place in the opposite direction; to invert or undo”