counterfactual

Meanings

Adjective

• Contrary to known or agreed facts; untrue.
• Of or in comparison to a hypothetical state of the world.

Noun

• A claim, hypothesis, or other belief that is contrary to the facts.
• A hypothetical state of the world, used to assess the impact of an action.
• A conditional statement in which the conditional clause is false.

Origin

• counter- + factual