A counterword (also spelled counter word and counter-word) is a word such as "so" that is frequently used to answer ("counter") in a reflex-like manner and that has due to this frequent use quickly taken on a new, much less specific or much looser meaning or is even almost meaningless or performs a completely new function. The word "so", for example, is frequently used to begin an answer in the sense of "Well,..." or to function as an indirect way of saying "Before answering that, I'd like to..." or even instead of saying "On the contrary,..." or "No, I...".