counter

noun

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

Examples of counter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Fans are probably lining up for scones in hopes of spotting Ashley crying behind the counter. —Tom Smyth, Vulture, 8 June 2026

Host Rachel Holt goes behind the counter and into the cheese caves with one of the area's most acclaimed cheese directors, exploring what sets this gourmet institution apart. —Rachel Holt, CBS News, 7 June 2026

Scheck cleans her marble counters almost daily with a gentle cleaner to prevent buildup. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 6 June 2026

The system is designed to provide a low-cost, scalable counter-drone capability and can be integrated with platforms such as L3Harris’ VAMPIRE counter-UAS system. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 6 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

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."

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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-counter-measure
• 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
• over the counter
• run counter to
• scintillation counter
• under the counter

Rhymes for counter

• encounter

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

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

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

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