Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
counterexample
noun
/ˈkaʊntərˌɛkzæmpəl/
Definition
A counterexample is a specific case or example that demonstrates that a particular statement or assertion is false.
Examples
- For the statement ‘All birds can fly,’ a penguin serves as a counterexample.
- If someone claims that all even numbers are greater than two, the number two is a counterexample.
Meaning
In logic and mathematics, a counterexample is used to refute a general claim by providing a single instance where the claim does not hold true.
Synonyms
- Refutation
- Example that disproves
- Contradiction
