counter
n. countablen. a long, flat surface in a shop, bank, or kitchen where people work or serve customers. You usually stand on one side of it while someone helps you from the other side.
n. a long, flat-topped fitment across which business is conducted with customers or food is prepared. Often used in retail, hospitality, and domestic kitchen contexts.
Please pay for your coffee at the counter.
The clerk leaned over the wooden counter to hand the customer her dry cleaning and a receipt.
Modern kitchen designs often feature a central island counter that serves as both a preparation area and an informal dining space for the family.
Inherited from Middle English countour, from Old French conteor (French comptoir), from Medieval Latin computātōrium, from Latin computō, equivalent to count + -er. Doublet of cantore, computer, and kontor.
From Old French contre, Anglo-Norman cuntre, both from Latin contra.
Commonly used with the preposition 'at' or 'behind' to describe a person's location relative to the surface.
- 01
bean counter
A person who is excessively interested in controlling or reducing expenses, increasing profits, or in quantitative details in general.
- 02
rivet counter
A person who has an obsession with the minutiae of their particular interest, especially in military and technology history. Anyone preoccupied with small distinguishing features between different items.