counter-current
|count-er-cur-rent|
🇺🇸
/ˌkaʊn.tərˈkʌr.ənt/
🇬🇧
/ˌkaʊn.təˈkʌr.ənt/
moving in opposite direction
Etymology
'counter-current' is formed from English 'counter' and 'current'. 'counter' originates from Old French 'contre' (from Latin 'contra') where the prefix/root meant 'against' or 'opposite'. 'current' originates from Latin 'currere' (via Old French 'courant' and Middle English) where the root meant 'to run'.
'counter' changed from Old French 'contre' into Middle English 'counter' and was combined with Middle English 'current' (from Old French 'courant', from Latin 'currere') to form the compound 'counter-current'.
Initially, the components meant 'against' (counter) and 'to run' (current); over time the compound came to mean 'running or moving against another flow' and extended figuratively to opposing tendencies.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a current (of fluid, air, opinion, etc.) that flows or moves in the opposite direction to another current.
A strong counter-current developed near the shore, making swimming dangerous.
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Noun 2
a tendency or movement that opposes a prevailing trend or opinion (figurative use).
There was a counter-current of public opinion against the proposed policy.
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Adjective 1
flowing or moving in the opposite direction to another current or flow; arranged so that movement is opposite in direction.
The heat exchanger uses a counter-current arrangement to maximize heat transfer.
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Last updated: 2025/10/25 20:34