'counterpope' originates from English, formed as a compound of the prefix 'counter-' (from Old French 'contre', from Latin 'contra') meaning 'against' and 'pope' (from Latin 'papa', from Greek 'papas') meaning 'father'.

'counterpope' developed as an English compound (counter- + pope) as an alternative formation to the older term 'antipope'; it has been used since Early Modern English to refer to rival claimants to the papacy.

Initially it meant 'a rival claimant to the papacy', and this sense has largely remained stable into modern usage.