counterinstance

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *ḱe?

Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm

Proto-Italic *kom

Proto-Italic *kom-

Proto-Indo-European *-teros

Proto-Italic *-teros

Proto-Italic *komterosder.

Proto-Italic *komterād

Latin contrāder.

Old French contre-

Anglo-Norman countre-bor.

Middle English counter-

English counter-

English instance

English counterinstance

From counter- + instance.

Noun

counterinstance (plural counterinstances)

1. An instance (example) which shows the opposite of a given theory to be true, thus disproving it.