counter

1 of 7

noun (1)

count·​er ˈkau̇n-tər 

1

: a piece (as of metal or plastic) used in reckoning or in games

2

: something of value in bargaining : asset

3

: a level surface (such as a table, shelf or display case) over which transactions are conducted or food is served or on which goods are displayed or work is conducted

jewelry counter

a lunch counter

counter

2 of 7

noun (2)

count·​er ˈkau̇n-tər 

plural counters

: a person or thing that counts something

… I would just tell them I am a very fast counter.

—Judy Blume

especially : a device or process for indicating a number or amount

a counter that records how many times a website is visited

As they entered the main door on Fifth Avenue, the guard clicked off two numbers on his people counter.

—E. L. Konigsburg

counter

3 of 7

verb

coun·​ter ˈkau̇n-tər 

countered; countering ˈkau̇n-t(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

a

: to act in opposition to : oppose

b

: offset, nullify

tried to counter the trend toward depersonalization

2

: to assert in answer

We countered that our warnings had been ignored.

intransitive verb

: to meet attacks or arguments with defensive or retaliatory steps

counter

4 of 7

adverb

coun·​ter ˈkau̇n-tər 

1

: in an opposite or wrong direction

2

: to or toward a different or opposite direction, result, or effect

values that run counter to those of society

counter

5 of 7

noun (3)

coun·​ter ˈkau̇n-tər 

1

: contrary, opposite

2

: the after portion of a boat from the waterline to the extreme outward swell or stern overhang

3

a

: the act of making an attack while parrying one (as in boxing)

also : a blow thus given in boxing

b

: an agency or force that offsets : check

4

: a stiffener to give permanent form to a boot or shoe upper around the heel

5

: an area within the face of a letter wholly or partly enclosed by strokes

6

: a football play in which the ballcarrier goes in a direction opposite to the movement of the play

counter

6 of 7

adjective

coun·​ter ˈkau̇n-tər 

1

: marked by or tending toward or in an opposite direction or effect

2

: given to or marked by opposition, hostility, or antipathy

3

: situated or lying opposite

the counter side

4

: recalling or ordering back by a superseding contrary order : countermanding

counter orders from the colonel

counter-

7 of 7

prefix

1

a

: contrary : opposite

counterclockwise

countermarch

b

: opposing : retaliatory

counterforce

counteroffensive

2

: complementary : corresponding

counterweight

counterpart

3

: duplicate : substitute

counterfoil

Phrases

over the counter

1

: in or through a broker's office rather than through a stock exchange

stock bought over the counter

2

: without a prescription

drugs available over the counter

under the counter

: by surreptitious means : in an illicit and private manner

workers being paid under the counter

Synonyms

Verb

• battle
• combat
• contend (with)
• fight
• oppose
• oppugn

Noun (3)

• balance
• canceler
• canceller
• corrective
• counteraction
• counterbalance
• counterforce
• counterpoise
• counterweight
• equipoise
• neutralizer
• offset

Adjective

• adverse
• disadvantageous
• hostile
• inimical
• negative
• prejudicial
• unfavorable
• unfriendly
• unsympathetic
• untoward

Examples of counter in a Sentence

Verb

When they blamed him for the collapse of the bridge, he countered that his warnings about the bridge had been ignored.

“I could say the same thing about you,” she countered.

After she made her point, he could not counter with anything.

Noun (3)

strong moral guidance at home is the best counter to the pernicious allure of popular culture

her version of the domestic dispute was almost the exact counter of what actually happened

Adjective

was unprepared for such a strong counter campaign by opponents of the legislative bill

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Because fresh popcorn breaks apart more easily than stale popcorn, leave the popcorn in a bowl on the counter for a day or two. —Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Dec. 2024

Put the lid upside down on the counter and place the cake on top of it. —Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 6 Dec. 2024

Verb

Global Cybersecurity Alliances: Governments will collaborate on cross-border cybersecurity initiatives to counter global threats. —Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024

The United States and two of its allies in the Indo-Pacific region are conducting a trilateral island defense drill, countering threats posed by China. —Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024

Adverb

The idea that a student should get a leg up because of where his or her parents went to school runs counter to basic American notions of fairness and earned opportunity. —Frederick Hess, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024

Playing a strong supporting role in vaccine access and distribution would help Washington counter Beijing’s influence in the region, which has grown dramatically in recent years. —Oliver Stuenkel, Foreign Affairs, 28 Jan. 2021

Adjective

Konkel has a toddler, so her family keeps it simple, limiting the number of ornaments and keeping other decor at counter height to avoid accidents. —Jodi Gonzalez, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2024

But a shared sense of humor creates a powerful bond that lets couples reconnect with playfulness, counter stress and find levity in the midst of life’s complexities. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English countour, countere "table used for counting money or auditing accounts, metal disk used for arithmetic calculations," borrowed from Anglo-French countour, comptor (Middle French compteor "table used by a merchant to display wares and count money"), from conter, compter, cunter "to count, calculate, count as valid, relate, narrate" + -our, -or (Middle French -eoir), going back to Latin -ātōrium, from -ā-, stem formative of verbs + -tōrium, suffix denoting a place or object used for the activity of the verb (from neuter of -tōrius, adjective derivative of the agent noun -tōr-, -tor) — more at count entry 1

Note: See note at counter entry 2.

Noun (2)

Middle English countour, cowntere "person who counts or calculates, official who oversees the collection of taxes, pleader in court (who makes the conte, a formal statement of the basis of the case)," borrowed from Anglo-French cunteor, cuntur, countur "narrator, informant, pleader in court," from conter, compter, cunter "to count, calculate, count as valid, relate, narrate" + -eur, -ur, going back to Latin -ātōr-, -ātor, from -ā-, stem formative of verbs + -tōr-, -tor, agent suffix — more at count entry 1

Note: counter entry 1 and counter entry 2 have been homonyms since Middle English and were likely already homonyms in Anglo-French. They are separated here and in the Oxford English Dictionary, though the Middle English Dictionary treats them under a single lemma. In modern French they are distinct, with counter entry 1 corresponding to comptoir and counter entry 2 corresponding to conteur, though conteur is now used to mean "storyteller," as the base verb conter usually means "recount, relate."

Verb

Middle English countren, contren "to act against, oppose, contradict," derivative of contre counter entry 4 or its source, Anglo-French contre

Adverb

Middle English countre, countir, borrowed from Anglo-French contre, cuntre "against, in opposition to," going back to Latin contrā, adverb and preposition, "opposite, facing, against" — more at contra-

Noun (3)

derivative of counter entry 4 and counter entry 6; (sense 2) perhaps of distinct origin

Adjective

in part derivative of counter entry 4, in part independent use of counter--

Prefix

borrowed from Anglo-French contre-, cuntre- (also Middle French contre-), prefixal use of contre counter entry 4

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing counter

• bargaining counter
• bean counter
• counter-accusation
• counter-adaptation
• counter-adaptive
• counter-advertising
• counter-agent
• counter-aggression
• counter-argue
• counter-argument
• counter-assault
• counter-attack
• counter-attacker
• counter-bid
• counter-blast
• counter-blockade
• counter-blow
• counter-campaign
• counter-charge
• counter check
• counter-complaint
• counter-conspiracy
• counter-convention
• counter-countermeasure
• counter-coup
• counter-criticism
• counter-cry
• counter-demand
• counter-demonstrate
• counter-demonstration
• counter-demonstrator
• counter-deployment
• counter-education
• counter-educational
• counter-effort
• counter-evidence
• counter-fire
• counter-force
• counter-government
• counter-hypothesis
• counter-image
• counter-incentive
• counter-inflation
• counter-inflationary
• counter-influence
• counter-instance
• counter-institution
• counter-interpretation
• counter-invasion
• counter-memo
• counter-mobilization
• counter-move
• counter-movement
• counter-myth
• counter-narrative
• counter-order
• counter-petition
• counter-picket
• counter-play
• counter-ploy
• counter-power
• counter-pressure
• counter-project
• counter-propaganda
• counter-protest
• counter-protester
• counter-question
• counter-raid
• counter-rally
• counter-reaction
• counter-reform
• counter-reformer
• counter-response
• counter-retaliation
• counter-shot
• counter-sniper
• counter space
• counter-spell
• counter-state
• counter-statement
• counter-step
• counter-strategist
• counter-strategy
• counter-stream
• counter-strike
• counter-stroke
• counter-style
• counter-sue
• counter-suggestion
• counter-suit
• counter-surveillance
• counter-tactics
• counter-tendency
• counter-terror
• counter-terrorism
• counter-threat
• counter-thrust
• counter-tradition
• counter-trend
• counter-value
• counter-violence
• counter-world
• Geiger counter
• Geiger-Müller counter
• lunch counter
• run counter to
• scintillation counter

Kids Definition

counter

1 of 7 noun

count·​er ˈkau̇nt-ər 

1

: a piece (as of metal or plastic) used in counting or in games

2

: a level surface (as a table) over which business is done or food is served or on which goods are displayed

counter

2 of 7 noun

count·​er

: one that counts

especially : a device for indicating a number or amount

counter

3 of 7 verb

coun·​ter

ˈkau̇nt-ər

countered; countering ˈkau̇nt-ə-riŋ 

ˈkau̇n-triŋ

1

: to act in opposition to : oppose

countering the claim for damages

2

: to give a blow in return

counter with a left hook

counter

4 of 7 adverb

coun·​ter

: in another or opposite direction

acting counter to advice

counter

5 of 7 noun

coun·​ter

1

: the act of giving a return blow

2

: the blow given

counter

6 of 7 adjective

coun·​ter

1

: moving in an opposite direction

the ship slowed by counter tides

2

: designed to oppose

a counter opinion

counter-

7 of 7 prefix

coun·​ter-

1

a

: contrary : opposite

counterclockwise

b

: opposing : retaliatory

counteroffensive

2

: like : matching

counterpart

Etymology

Noun

Middle English countour "something used in counting," from early French countour (same meaning), from Latin computatorium "a place for counting or keeping accounts," from earlier computare "to count, compute" — related to count entry 1, compute

Verb

Middle English countren "to oppose," from early French contre "against" — related to contra-, counter-

Prefix

derived from Latin contra "against, opposite" — related to contra-

Medical Definition

counter

1 of 2 noun

count·​er ˈkau̇nt-ər 

: a level surface over which transactions are conducted or food is served or on which goods are displayed or work is conducted

a lunch counter

counter

2 of 2 noun

: one that counts

especially : a device for indicating a number or amount see geiger counter

Legal Definition

counter-

prefix

coun·​ter-

ˈkau̇n-tər

1

a

: contrary : opposite

counterletter

b

: opposing : retaliatory

counteraction

2

: complementary : corresponding

countersign

3

: duplicate : substitute

counterpart