under-the-counter

adjective

un·​der-the-count·​er ˈən-dər-ṯẖə-ˈkau̇n-tər How to pronounce under-the-counter (audio)
: surreptitious and usually irregular or illicit
under-the-counter liquor sales

Examples of under-the-counter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Behind the bar, crammed into a small station barely wide enough for one person, were two rice cookers, a combination oven, an induction burner and an under-the-counter fridge. Priya Krishna, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 By night, his father would lend him his binoculars to spy on women through their windows, filling in any gaps in his anatomical understanding with whatever under-the-counter girly magazines had managed to wiggle through Italy’s draconian censorship. Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2024 Filtering your water If PFAS levels are concerning, consumers can purchase an under-the-counter water filter for their tap. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024 Have a variety — an overhead light; warm-toned, under-the-counter LED task strips. Kim Cook, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

from the hiding of illicit wares under the counter of stores where they are sold

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of under-the-counter was in 1926

Cite this Entry

“Under-the-counter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under-the-counter. Accessed 20 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on under-the-counter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!