counterturn
|coun-ter-turn|
🇺🇸
/ˈkaʊn.tɚ.tɝn/
🇬🇧
/ˈkaʊn.tə.tɜːn/
turn against; reverse direction
Etymology
'counterturn' is a compound of the prefix 'counter-' and the noun 'turn'. 'counter-' originates from Old French 'contre' (from Latin 'contra') meaning 'against, opposite'; 'turn' originates from Old French 'tourner' (from Latin 'tornare') meaning 'to turn'.
'turn' evolved from Latin 'tornare' to Old French 'tourner' and Middle English 'turnen', becoming modern English 'turn'. 'counter' came via Old French 'contre' into Middle English 'counter' (sense 'opposite'). The compound 'counterturn' arose in Modern English as a technical/compound term (notably in sport/technical contexts) to denote an opposing or reversing turn.
Originally the elements separately expressed 'against' ('counter-') and 'to turn' ('turn'); combined they came to mean specifically 'a turn in the opposite direction' or a technical reversing-turn movement in activities such as skating and cycling.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a turn made in the opposite or opposing direction; a reversing turn used to change direction.
The cyclist executed a quick counterturn to avoid the stopped car.
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Noun 2
a specific one-foot turning movement in skating (ice or roller), in which the skater changes edge and direction — often called a 'counter' or 'counter turn' in figure skating terminology.
In their program the dancers included a clean counterturn on the left foot.
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Last updated: 2025/11/24 15:34