counterproductive

C2 Topic:Space, Position & Direction
US /ˌkaʊntəpɹəˈdʌktɪv/
adj Freq #42684

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    Having the opposite effect to the one you intended; doing more harm than good.

    Shouting at children is usually counterproductive.

Thesaurus

Opposites

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- Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *pró Proto-Indo-European *pro- Proto-Italic *pro- Late Latin prō- Proto-Indo-European *dewk- Proto-Indo-European *déwkti Proto-Italic *doukō Late Latin dūcō Late Lati…

Topics

markdown

Send feedback

Optional — only if you'd like a reply.