Meanings
adjectivecountercyclical (comparative more countercyclical, superlative most countercyclical)
comparative more countercyclical · superlative most countercyclical
- public policyDampening the cyclical fluctuations due to the business cycle in an economy.
- economicsMoving in the direction opposite to that of the overall state of an economy.
The unemployment rate is countercyclical in the sense that it rises when economic growth is low and vice versa.
Synonyms & antonyms
Opposite
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
- Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
- Proto-Italic*kom
- Proto-Italic*kom-
- Proto-Italic*komteros
- Proto-Italic*komterād
- Latincontrā
- Old Frenchcontre-
- Anglo-Normancountre-
- Middle Englishcounter-
- Englishcounter-
- Proto-Indo-European*kʷelh₁-redup.
- Proto-Indo-European*kʷékʷlos
- Proto-Hellenic*kʷókʷlos
- Proto-Hellenic*kúklos
- Ancient Greekκύκλος (kúklos)
- Ancient Greekκυκλῐκός (kuklĭkós)
- Classical Latincyclicu
- Middle Frenchcyclique
- Frenchcyclique
- Classical Latincyclicus
- Englishcyclic
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
- Englishcyclical
- Englishcountercyclical
Translations
Finnish vastasyklinen
- vastasyklinendampening cyclical fluctuation
Cite this entry
APA
countercyclical. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/countercyclical
MLA
“countercyclical.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/countercyclical. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “countercyclical,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/countercyclical.
Source: countercyclical on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.