counterexample

noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"counterexample" is a 14-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“counterexample” is uncommon English (frequency #76,674 among 43,570 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#76,674
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An example that counters a general rule; an exception to a general rule; a specific instance of the falsity of (and falsifiability of) any proposed universal applicability of a rule or statement.

Key facts for counterexample
PropertyValue
Headwordcounterexample
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters14
Frequency rank#76,674
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “counterexample” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). counterexample lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

counterexample is uncommon English at frequency #76,674 among 43,570 “C” headwords, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "An example that counters a general rule; an exception to a general rule; a specific instance of the falsity of (and falsifiability of) any proposed universal applicability of a rule or statement.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for counterexample, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From counter- + example. The correct English form is counterexample, spelled C-O-U-N-T-E-R-E-X-A-M-P-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An example that counters a general rule; an exception to a general rule; a specific instance of the falsity of (and falsifiability of) any proposed universal applicability of a rule or statement.

Etymology

From counter- + example.

This word in other languages

antiejemplo(Español)contrexemple(Français)Gegenbeispiel(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "counterexample"?
"counterexample" is spelled C-O-U-N-T-E-R-E-X-A-M-P-L-E.
What does "counterexample" mean?
As a noun, "counterexample" means: An example that counters a general rule; an exception to a general rule; a specific instance of the falsity of (and falsifiability of) any proposed universal applicability of a rule or statement.
What is the origin of the word "counterexample"?
From counter- + example. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “counterexample”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-U-N-T-E-R-E-X-A-M-P-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list