In Counter-Strike, what does the abbreviation “CT” stand for?

In Counter-Strike, “CT” stands for Counter-Terrorist.

Counter-Strike divides its opposing teams into Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists. The Counter-Terrorist side typically defends bombsites, attempts to defuse planted bombs, rescues hostages, or eliminates the opposing team, depending on the map and game mode.

The abbreviation appears throughout the series and its competitive vocabulary. Players commonly use “CT spawn” for the Counter-Terrorist starting area, “CT side” for the defensive half of a map, and “CT utility” for grenades or equipment purchased by that team.

CT should not be confused with a specific weapon, role, or tournament term. It identifies the faction itself. In standard competitive matches, players switch sides after the first half, so a team that begins as Counter-Terrorists later plays as Terrorists.