counterclaim

[ noun koun-ter-kleym; verb koun-ter-kleym ]
See synonyms for: counterclaimcounterclaimedcounterclaiming on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a claim made to offset another claim, especially one made by the defendant in a legal action.

verb (used with or without object)
  1. to claim so as to offset a previous claim.

Origin of counterclaim

1
First recorded in 1775–85; counter- + claim

Other words from counterclaim

  • coun·ter·claim·ant, noun

Words Nearby counterclaim

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use counterclaim in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for counterclaim

counterclaim

/ (ˈkaʊntəˌkleɪm) mainly law /


noun
  1. a claim set up in opposition to another, esp by the defendant in a civil action against the plaintiff

verb
  1. to set up (a claim) in opposition to another claim

Derived forms of counterclaim

  • counterclaimant, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012