counterproliferation

noun

The prevention of nuclear proliferation

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

nouncounterproliferation (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe prevention of nuclear proliferation

    The nightmare scenario, of course, is what happens if an extremist Islamic government emerges with an instant nuclear arsenal, said Robert Joseph, a counterproliferation expert who left the administration this year.

    2007 November 11, David E. Sanger, “So, What About Those Nukes?”, in New York Times

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. Englishproliferation
  13. Englishcounterproliferation

From counter- + proliferation.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with counterproliferation

informationeducationlocationapplicationassociationadministrationorganizationcorporationregistrationAsianfoundationcommunicationpopulationnavigationstationaccommodationoperationpublicationvacationtransportationevaluationimplementationinstallationnation
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

counterproliferation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/counterproliferation

MLA

“counterproliferation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/counterproliferation. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “counterproliferation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/counterproliferation.

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