Counter may refer to:

Mathematics and computing

* Counter machine, a subclass of register machines * Counter (digital), an electronic device, mechanical device, or computer program for counting *

Loop counter In computer science a for-loop or for loop is a control flow statement for specifying iteration. Specifically, a for loop functions by running a section of code repeatedly until a certain condition has been satisfied. For-loops have two part ...

, the variable that controls the iterations of a loop *

Jeton Jetons or jettons are tokens or coin-like medals produced across Europe from the 13th through the 18th centuries. They were produced as counters for use in calculation on a counting board, a lined board similar to an abacus. They also found use ...

, a reckoning counter used on reckoning boards for calculations *

Mechanical counter Mechanical counters are digital counters built using mechanical components. Long before electronics became common, mechanical devices were used to count events. They typically consist of a series of disks mounted on an axle, with the digits zero ...

, a digital counter using mechanical components *

Tally counter A tally counter is a mechanical, electronic, or software device used to incrementally count something, typically fleeting. One of the most common things tally counters are used for is counting people, animals, or things that are coming and going fr ...

, a mechanical counting device *

Web counter A web counter or hit counter is a publicly displayed running tally of the number of visits a webpage has received. Web counters are usually displayed as an inline digital image or in plain text. Image rendering of digits may use a variety of ...

, a counter that counts the number of visits to a web page *

Project COUNTER Project COUNTER or simply COUNTER (Counting Online Usage of Networked Electronic Resource) is an international non-profit membership organization of libraries, publishers, and vendors, who continually develop a standard designed to count the usage o ...

, a standard for reporting usage statistics of electronic resources

Games and sport

Counter (board wargames) A counter is usually a small cardboard square moved around on the map of a board wargame to represent relevant information or determine certain things. The first wargame based on cardboard counters was ''War Tactics or Can Great Britain Be Invad ...

, a playing piece used in board wargames *

Counter run In American football, a counter run is a running play that starts in one direction but ends in the other direction. Typically, the running back will take a step in the opposite direction of the play, only to get the handoff in the other direction. W ...

, an offensive play in American football *

Counter turn A counter turn is a kind of one-foot turn in figure skating. Unlike three turns and brackets, where the entry and exit edges follow the same curve, in a counter the entry and exit are on opposite curves. When executing a counter, the skater tu ...

, an element in figure skating *

Counter (collectible card games) A counter is a gameplay mechanic used in collectible card games (CCG) that physically represents an effect generated by a card. It is represented by any number of small objects, usually glass beads, coins, dice, or bingo Bingo or B-I-N-G-O may re ...

, a small item used to represent certain objects or conditions in a collectible card game *

Jones Counter The Jones Counter is a device fitted to the front wheel of a bicycle that counts the revolutions of the wheel. It was invented in 1971 by Alan Jones in order to measure the length of road running race courses. The counter has gears that drive a mec ...

, measures distance bicycles travel

Linguistics and typography

* Counter (typography), an enclosed space in a letter-form * Measure word, a type of word in some languages **

Japanese counter word In Japanese, counter words or counters (, ) are measure words used with numbers to count things, actions, and events. Counters are added directly after numbers. There are numerous counters, and different counters are used depending on the kind or sh ...

Other uses

* Countertop, the flat surface of a counter * Bar (counter), a type of counter used in bars for food serving * Compter or counter, a small jail * Counter, the part of a ship's

stern The stern is the back or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Ori ...

above the waterline that extends beyond the rudder stock (see nautical terms) * The Counter, a global hamburger restaurant chain * Frequency counter, an electronic instrument for measuring frequency

People with the name

* Nick Counter (1940–2009), American film and television executive *

S. Allen Counter Samuel Allen Counter Jr. (July 8, 1944 – July 12, 2017) was a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and inaugural director of the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations. Early life Samuel Allen Counter Jr. was born ...

(1944–2017), American neuroscientist, polar explorer, and university administrator * See also Caunter, an associated surname