counter-terrorism

noun

Measures intended to combat or reduce terrorist activities.

OriginEnglish terrorism ← French terrorisme ← Middle French terreur →
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Meanings

nouncounter-terrorism (uncountable)

alternative counterterrorism

  1. uncountableMeasures intended to combat or reduce terrorist activities.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
antiterrorism

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Proto-Italic*komteros
  6. Proto-Italic*komterād
  7. Latincontrā
  8. Old Frenchcontre-
  9. Anglo-Normancountre-
  10. Middle Englishcounter-
  11. Englishcounter-
  12. Proto-Indo-European*tres-
  13. Proto-Indo-European*troséyeti
  14. Proto-Italic*troseō
  15. Latinterreō
  16. Latinterror
  17. Old Frenchterreur
  18. Middle Frenchterreur
  19. Frenchterreur
  20. Frenchterrorisme
  21. Englishterrorism
  22. Englishcounter-terrorism

From counter- + terrorism.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

counter-terrorism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/counter-terrorism

MLA

“counter-terrorism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/counter-terrorism. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “counter-terrorism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/counter-terrorism.

Source: counter-terrorism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.