inverse

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: in=verse

CIDE DICTIONARY

inverse, a. [L. inversus, p. p. of invertere: cf. F. inverse. See Invert.].

•  Opposite in order, relation, or effect; reversed; inverted; reciprocal; -- opposed to direct.  [1913 Webster]
•  Inverted; having a position or mode of attachment the reverse of that which is usual.  [1913 Webster]
•  Opposite in nature and effect; -- said with reference to any two operations, which, when both are performed in succession upon any quantity, reproduce that quantity; as, multiplication is the inverse operation to division. The symbol of an inverse operation is the symbol of the direct operation with -1 as an index. Thus sin-1 x means the arc or angle whose sine is x.  [1913 Webster]

Inverse figures (Geom.), two figures, such that each point of either figure is inverse to a corresponding point in the order figure. -- Inverse points (Geom.), two points lying on a line drawn from the center of a fixed circle or sphere, and so related that the product of their distances from the center of the circle or sphere is equal to the square of the radius. -- Inverse ratio, or Reciprocal ratio (Math.), the ratio of the reciprocals of two quantities. -- Inverse proportion, or Reciprocal proportion, an equality between a direct ratio and a reciprocal ratio; thus, 4 : 2 : : , or 4 : 2 : : 3 : 6, inversely.

inverse, n. 

 That which is inverse.  [1913 Webster]
"Thus the course of human study is the inverse of the course of things in nature."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

inverse, adj. & n.
--adj. inverted in position, order, or relation.
--n.
1 the state of being inverted.
2 (often foll. by of) a thing that is the opposite or reverse of another.
3 Math. an element which, when combined with a given element in an operation, produces the identity element for that operation.

Idiom

inverse proportion (or ratio) a relation between two quantities such that one increases in proportion as the other decreases. inverse square law a law by which the intensity of an effect, such as gravitational force, illumination, etc., changes in inverse proportion to the square of the distance from the source.

Derivative

inversely adv.

Etymology

L inversus past part. of invertere: see INVERT

THESAURUS

inverse

adversative, adverse, adversive, antagonistic, anti, antipathetic, antipodal, antipode, antipodes, antipole, antithesis, antithetic, antonym, antonymous, at cross-purposes, balancing, change, clashing, compensating, conflicting, confronting, contra, contradictory, contradistinct, contrapositive, contrarious, contrary, contrasted, converse, counter, counterbalance, counterbalancing, countercheck, counterpoint, counterpoise, counterpoised, counterpole, counterterm, countervailing, dead against, discordant, discrepant, eyeball to eyeball, eyeball-to-eyeball, facing, foil, heads, hostile, inconsistent, inimical, invert, obverse, offset, opposed, opposing, opposite, opposite number, opposite side, oppositional, oppositive, oppugnant, other face, other side, perverse, polar, polaric, polarized, repugnant, reverse, revert, setoff, squared off, tails, the contrary, the other side, transplace, transpose, turn, vis-a-vis

ROGET THESAURUS

inverse

Inversion

N inversion, eversion, subversion, reversion, retroversion, introversion, contraposition, contrariety, reversal, turn of the tide, overturn, somersault, somerset, summerset, culbute, revulsion, pirouette, transposition, transposal, anastrophy, metastasis, hyperbaton, anastrophe, hysteron proteron, hypallage, synchysis, tmesis, parenthesis, metathesis, palindrome, pronation and supination, inverted, wrong side out, wrong side up, inside out, upside down, bottom upwards, keel upwards, supine, on one's head, topsy-turvy, sens dessus dessous, inverse, reverse, opposite, top heavy, inversely, hirdy-girdy, heels over head, head over heels.

Contraposition

N contraposition, opposition, polarity, inversion, opposite side, reverse, inverse, counterpart, antipodes, opposite poles, North and South, antonym, opposite (contrariety), opposite, reverse, inverse, converse, antipodal, subcontrary, fronting, facing, diametrically opposite, Northern, septentrional, Boreal, arctic, Southern, Austral, antarctic, over, over the way, over against, against, face to face, vis-a- vis, as poles asunder, contraposition, opposition, polarity, inversion, opposite side, reverse, inverse, counterpart, antipodes, opposite poles, North and South, antonym, opposite (contrariety), opposite, reverse, inverse, converse, antipodal, subcontrary, fronting, facing, diametrically opposite, Northern, septentrional, Boreal, arctic, Southern, Austral, antarctic, over, over the way, over against, against, face to face, vis-a- vis, as poles asunder.