counter

¹

[koun-ter]

noun

1. a table or display case on which goods can be shown, business transacted, etc.

2. (in restaurants, luncheonettes, etc.) a long, narrow table with stools or chairs along one side for the patrons, behind which refreshments or meals are prepared and served.

3. a surface for the preparation of food in a kitchen, especially on a low cabinet.

4. anything used in keeping account, as a disk of metal or wood, used in some games, as checkers, for marking a player's position or for keeping score.

5. an imitation coin or token.

6. a coin; money.

counter

²

[koun-ter]

noun

1. a device for counting revolutions of a wheel, items produced, etc.

2. a person who counts.

3. Cards.,  card counter.

4. Computers.,  a storage register or program variable used to tally how often something of interest occurs.

5. Electronics.,  scaler.

6. Physics.,  any of various instruments for detecting ionizing radiation and for registering counts.

counter

³

[koun-ter]

adverb

1. in the wrong way; contrary to the right course; in the reverse or opposite direction.

2. contrary; in opposition (usually preceded by run orgo ).

   to run counter to the rules.

adjective

1. opposite; contrary; opposed.

noun

1. something that is opposite or contrary to something else.

2. a blow delivered in receiving or parrying another blow, as in boxing.

3. a statement or action made to refute, oppose, or nullify another statement or action.

4. Fencing.,  a circular parry.

5. a piece of leather or other material inserted between the lining and outside leather of a shoe or boot quarter to keep it stiff.

6. Nautical.,  the part of a stern that overhangs and projects aft of the sternpost of a vessel.

7. Also called void. Typesetting.,  any part of the face of a type that is less than type-high and is therefore not inked.

8. Engineering, Building Trades.,  a truss member subject to stress only under certain partial loadings of the truss.

9. the part of a horse's breast that lies between the shoulders and under the neck.

verb (used with object)

1. to go counter to; oppose; controvert.

2. to meet or answer (a move, blow, etc.) by another in return.

verb (used without object)

1. to make a counter or opposing move.

2. to give a blow while receiving or parrying one, as in boxing.

counter

⁴

[koun-ter]

verb (used with object)

1. to encounter in opposition or combat.

counter-

⁵

1. a combining form of counter, used with the meanings “against,” “contrary,” “opposite,” “in opposition or response to” (countermand ); “complementary,” “in reciprocation,” “corresponding,” “parallel” (counterfoil; counterbalance ); “substitute,” “duplicate” (counterfeit ).

counter

¹

/ ˈkaʊntə /

adverb

1. in a contrary direction or manner

2. in a wrong or reverse direction

3. to have a contrary effect or action to

adjective

1. opposing; opposite; contrary

noun

1. something that is contrary or opposite to some other thing

2. an act, effect, or force that opposes another

3. a return attack, such as a blow in boxing

4. fencing a parry in which the foils move in a circular fashion

5. the portion of the stern of a boat or ship that overhangs the water aft of the rudder

6. Also called: void. printing the inside area of a typeface that is not type high, such as the centre of an "o", and therefore does not print

7. the part of a horse's breast under the neck and between the shoulders

8. a piece of leather forming the back of a shoe

verb

1. to say or do (something) in retaliation or response

2. (tr) to move, act, or perform in a manner or direction opposite to (a person or thing)

3. to return the attack of (an opponent)

counter

²

/ ˈkaʊntə /

noun

1. a horizontal surface, as in a shop or bank, over which business is transacted

2. (in some cafeterias) a long table on which food is served to customers

3. 1. a small flat disc of wood, metal, or plastic, used in various board games

   2. a similar disc or token used as an imitation coin

4. a person or thing that may be used or manipulated

5. a skating figure consisting of three circles

6. (under-the-counter when prenominal) (of the sale of goods, esp goods in short supply) clandestine, surreptitious, or illegal; not in an open manner

7. (over-the-counter when prenominal) (of security transactions) through a broker rather than on a stock exchange

counter

³

/ ˈkaʊntə /

noun

1. a person who counts

2. an apparatus that records the number of occurrences of events

3. any instrument for detecting or counting ionizing particles or photons See Geiger counter scintillation counter crystal counter

4. electronics another name for scaler

counter-

⁴

prefix

1. against; opposite; contrary

   counterattack

2. complementary; corresponding

   counterfoil

3. duplicate or substitute

   counterfeit

Word History and Origins

Origin of counter¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English countour, from Anglo-French ( Old French comptoir ), from Medieval Latin computātorium “place for computing,” equivalent to Latin computā(re) “to think, calculate” + -tōrium noun suffix; compute, -tory ²; count ¹

Origin of counter²

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English countour, from Anglo-French ( Old French conteor ), ultimately derived from Latin computātor, equivalent to computā(re) “to think, calculate” + -tor noun suffix; compute, -tor

Origin of counter³

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English countre, from Anglo-French co(u)ntre, cuntre, Old French contre, from Latin contrā “against”; counter-

Origin of counter⁴

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English countren, aphetic variant of acountren, from Middle French acontrer; a- ⁵, encounter

Origin of counter⁵

Middle English countre-; counter ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of counter¹

C15: from Old French contre, from Latin contrā against

Origin of counter²

C14: from Old French comptouer, ultimately from Latin computāre to _compute

Origin of counter³

C14: from Old French conteor, from Latin computātor; see _count ¹

Origin of counter⁴

via Norman French from Latin contrā against, opposite; see _contra-

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. over the counter,

   1. (of the sale of stock) through a broker's office rather than through the stock exchange.

   2. (of the sale of merchandise) through a retail store rather than through a wholesaler.

2. under the counter, in a clandestine manner, especially illegally.

   books sold under the counter.

see run counter to; under the counter.

Example Sentences

Even if we had the time or seven different types of rolling pins, who has that much counter space?

From Los Angeles Times

Late on Thursday, the defence department accused two Venezuelan military aircraft of flying near a US vessel in a "highly provocative move designed to interfere with our counter narco-terror operations".

From BBC

Navies in the Nato alliance are preparing for more joint operations to counter Russian threats in the North Atlantic, North Sea and the Baltic.

From BBC

And three Democratic-led states — California, Washington and Oregon — have created an alliance to counter turmoil within the federal public health agency.

From Los Angeles Times

Where other chefs might bark flat instructions or wave a knife in frustration, her words felt like a hand on your shoulder, a wink across the counter.

From Salon

Related Words

• counteract 
• foil 
• offset 
• oppose 
• resist 
• respond 
• retaliate 
• ward off 

When To Use

What does counter- mean?

Counter- is a combining form used like a prefix with a variety of meanings, primarily meaning “against," "contrary," or "opposite." It is often used in everyday and technical terms.Counter- comes from Middle English countre-, meaning “against.” A related prefix is contra-, as in contraindicate, meaning "against," from Latin contrā. Find out more at our entries for contra- and contraindicate.