countercurrent

American  

[koun-ter-kur-uhnt] / ˈkaʊn tərˌkɜr ənt /

noun

1. a current running in an opposite direction to another current.

2. a movement, opinion, mood, etc., contrary to the prevailing one.

---

countercurrent Scientific  

/ koun′tər-kûr′ənt /

1. A current that flows in an opposite direction to the flow of another current.

---

Other Word Forms

• countercurrently
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of countercurrent

First recorded in 1675–85; counter- + current

Example Sentences

Yet there is a countercurrent: Its population is shrinking.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

Still, some of the most standout moments at Coachella 2026 seemed almost indifferent to that logic, suggesting that — as music is wont to do — a countercurrent may be bubbling up.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2026

The vasa recta around it acts as the countercurrent exchanger.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

You're right that that's coming back to the fore today, although I think there's also a strong countercurrent.

From Salon • May 15, 2022

The Nautilus took full advantage of this countercurrent.

From Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Walter, F. P.