counterexample

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noun

An example that counters a general rule; an exception to a general rule; a specific instance of the falsity of (and falsifiability of) any proposed universal applicability of a rule or statement.

OriginEnglish example ← Middle English counter- ← Anglo-Norman countre- →
UncommonScrabble 27
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Meanings

nouncounterexample (plural counterexamples)

plural counterexamples

  1. human sciencesAn example that counters a general rule; an exception to a general rule; a specific instance of the falsity of (and falsifiability of) any proposed universal applicability of a rule or statement.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
counterexemplar

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. Englishexample
  13. Englishcounterexample

From counter- + example.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مِثَال مُعَاكِس, مِثَال مُضَادّ
  • مِثَال مُعَاكِس (miṯāl muʕākis)instance of the falsity
  • مِثَال مُضَادّ (miṯāl muḍādd)instance of the falsity
Bulgarian контраприме́р
  • контраприме́р (kontraprimér)instance of the falsity
Chinese Mandarin 反例
  • 反例 (fǎnlì)instance of the falsity
Czech protipříklad
  • protipříkladinstance of the falsity
Dutch tegenvoorbeeld
  • tegenvoorbeeldinstance of the falsity
Esperanto kontraŭekzemplo
  • kontraŭekzemploinstance of the falsity
Finnish vastaesimerkki
  • vastaesimerkkiinstance of the falsity
French contrexemple
  • contrexempleinstance of the falsity
German Gegenbeispiel
  • Gegenbeispielinstance of the falsity
Greek αντιπαράδειγμα
  • αντιπαράδειγμα (antiparádeigma)instance of the falsity
Italian controesempio
  • controesempioinstance of the falsity
Japanese 反例
  • 反例 (hanrei)instance of the falsity
Korean 반례, 반증
  • 반례 (ballye)instance of the falsity
  • 반증 (banjeung)instance of the falsity
Persian مثال نقض
  • مثال نقض (mesâl-e naġz)instance of the falsity
Polish kontrprzykład
  • kontrprzykładinstance of the falsity
Romanian contraexemplu
  • contraexempluinstance of the falsity
Russian контрприме́р
  • контрприме́р (kontrprimér)instance of the falsity
Slovak protipríklad
  • protipríkladinstance of the falsity
Spanish antiejemplo
  • antiejemploinstance of the falsity
Swedish motexempel
  • motexempelinstance of the falsity
Ukrainian контрпри́клад
  • контрпри́клад (kontrprýklad)instance of the falsity
Cite this entry
APA

counterexample. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/counterexample

MLA

“counterexample.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/counterexample. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “counterexample,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/counterexample.

Source: counterexample on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.