counterearth
|coun-ter-earth|
🇺🇸
/ˈkaʊn.tɚˌɝθ/
🇬🇧
/ˈkaʊn.təˌɜːθ/
an Earth on the opposite side
Etymology
'counterearth' originates from Modern English, formed as a compound of the prefix 'counter-' (from Latin 'contra', meaning 'against, opposite') and 'Earth' (from Old English 'eorþe').
'counter-' entered English via Old French 'contre' from Latin 'contra'; 'Earth' descends from Old English 'eorþe' and Proto-Germanic '*erþō'. The compound 'counterearth' is a modern English formation used in philosophical and fictional contexts.
Initially a transparent compound meaning 'an Earth opposite to (or against) Earth', it came to be used chiefly as a hypothetical or fictional planet on the opposite side of the Sun; the term remains largely specialized and rare.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a hypothetical or proposed planet that shares Earth's orbit but is positioned on the exact opposite side of the Sun, remaining hidden from direct view; used in philosophy and science fiction.
Some science fiction stories imagine a counterearth that mirrors Earth's continents while remaining perpetually hidden behind the Sun.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/19 21:56