Word Study
obverse
CIDE DICTIONARY
obverse, a. [L. obversus, p. p. of obvertere. See Obvert.].
Having the base, or end next the attachment, narrower than the top, as a leaf. [1913 Webster]
- The face of a coin which has the principal image or inscription upon it; -- the other side being the
reverse . [1913 Webster] - Anything necessarily involved in, or answering to, another; the more apparent or conspicuous of two possible sides, or of two corresponding things. [1913 Webster]"The fact that it [a belief] invariably exists being the obverse of the fact that there is no alternative belief." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
obverse, n. & adj.
--n.
1 a the side of a coin or medal etc. bearing the head or principal design. b this design (cf. REVERSE).
2 the front or proper or top side of a thing.
3 the counterpart of a fact or truth.
--adj.
1 Biol. narrower at the base or point of attachment than at the apex or top (see OB- 7).
2 answering as the counterpart to something else.
--n.
1 a the side of a coin or medal etc. bearing the head or principal design. b this design (cf. REVERSE).
2 the front or proper or top side of a thing.
3 the counterpart of a fact or truth.
--adj.
1 Biol. narrower at the base or point of attachment than at the apex or top (see OB- 7).
2 answering as the counterpart to something else.
Derivative
obversely adv.
Etymology
L obversus past part. (as OBVERT)
THESAURUS
obverse
adversative, adverse, adversive, ally, alter ego, analogon, analogue, antagonistic, anteriority, anti, antipathetic, antipodal, antipode, antipodes, antipole, antithesis, antithetic, antonym, antonymous, associate, at cross-purposes, balancing, bold front, brave face, brave front, brother, clashing, close copy, close match, cognate, companion, compensating, complement, conflicting, confronting, congenator, congener, contra, contradictory, contradistinct, contrapositive, contrarious, contrary, contrasted, converse, coordinate, correlate, correlative, correspondent, counter, counterbalance, counterbalancing, countercheck, counterpart, counterpoint, counterpoise, counterpoised, counterpole, counterterm, countervailing, dead against, discordant, discrepant, display, equivalent, eyeball to eyeball, eyeball-to-eyeball, facade, face, facet, facia, facing, fellow, foil, fore, forefront, foreground, forehand, foreland, forepart, forequarter, foreside, foreword, front, front elevation, front man, front matter, front page, front view, frontage, frontal, frontier, frontispiece, head, heading, heads, hostile, image, inconsistent, inimical, inverse, kindred spirit, lap, like, likeness, mate, near duplicate, offset, opposed, opposing, opposite, opposite number, opposite side, oppositional, oppositive, oppugnant, other face, other side, parallel, pendant, perverse, picture, polar, polaric, polarized, preface, prefix, priority, proscenium, reciprocal, repugnant, reverse, second self, setoff, similitude, simulacrum, sister, soul mate, squared off, such, suchlike, tails, tally, the contrary, the like of, the likes of, the other side, twin, vis-a-vis, window dressingFor further exploring for "obverse" in Webster Dictionary Online