'counter-revolutionary' originates from English, specifically from the combination of the prefix 'counter-' and the adjective 'revolutionary'. Here 'counter-' ultimately comes from Latin 'contra' meaning 'against', and 'revolutionary' derives from 'revolution' (from Latin 'revolutio') with the adjectival suffix '-ary'.

'counter-' entered English via Old French 'contre' (from Latin 'contra'), and 'revolutionary' developed from Latin 'revolutio' through Old French/Medieval Latin and Middle English. The compound 'counter-revolutionary' was formed in English (notably in political usage from the late 18th to 19th centuries) by combining 'counter-' + 'revolutionary'.

Initially used simply to describe opposition to a specific revolution, the term has remained largely stable in meaning and now broadly denotes persons, groups, or actions opposing revolutionary change.