mid-15c., from Middle French remot or directly from Latin remotus "afar off, remote, distant in place," past participle of removere "move back or away, take away, put out of view, subtract," from re- "back, away" (see re-) + movere "to move" (from PIE root *meue- "to push away"). Related: Remotely; remoteness. Remote control "fact of controlling from a distance" is recorded from 1904; as a device which allows this from 1920.
