Standard Lemma guide

counterterrorist

adj · noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • CMU ARPABET: K AW2 N T ER0 T EH1 R ER0 IH0 S T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Intended to combat terrorism

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A person involved in counter-terrorism, who works against terrorists.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

intended to prevent terrorism

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the government took counterterror measures

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: counterterror

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

someone who attempts to prevent terrorism

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Proto-Indo-European *-teros Proto-Italic *-teros Proto-Italic *komterosder. Proto-Italic *komterād Latin contrāder. Old French contre- Anglo-Norman countre-bor. Middle English counter- English counter- Latin terrorbor. Old French terreur Middle French terreurbor. Middle English terrour English terror Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek -ῐστής (-ĭstḗs)bor. Latin -istader. Old French -istebor. Middle English -ist English -ist English terrorist English counterterrorist From counter- + terrorist.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: контртэрарысты́чны (kontrterarystýčny) — intended to combat terrorism
  • French: contreterroriste — intended to combat terrorism
  • German: konterterroristisch — intended to combat terrorism
  • Kazakh: лаңкестікке қарсы (lañkestıkke qarsy) — intended to combat terrorism
  • Polish: antyterrorystyczny — intended to combat terrorism
  • Russian: контртеррористи́ческий (kontrterroristíčeskij) — intended to combat terrorism
  • Ukrainian: контртерористи́чний (kontrterorystýčnyj) — intended to combat terrorism
  • Ukrainian: антитерористи́чний (antyterorystýčnyj) — intended to combat terrorism
  • Polish: antyterrorysta — Translations