reciprocal

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: re=cip=ro=cal

CIDE DICTIONARY

reciprocal, a. [L. reciprocus; of unknown origin.].

•  Recurring in vicissitude; alternate.  [1913 Webster]
•  Done by each to the other; interchanging or interchanged; given and received; due from each to each; mutual; as, reciprocal love; reciprocal duties.  [1913 Webster]

  "Let our reciprocal vows be remembered."  [1913 Webster]
•  Mutually interchangeable.  [1913 Webster]

  "These two rules will render a definition reciprocal with the thing defined."  [1913 Webster]
•  Reflexive; -- applied to pronouns and verbs, but sometimes limited to such pronouns as express mutual action.  [1913 Webster]
•  Used to denote different kinds of mutual relation; often with reference to the substitution of reciprocals for given quantities. See the Phrases below.  [1913 Webster]

Reciprocal equation (Math.), one which remains unchanged in form when the reciprocal of the unknown quantity is substituted for that quantity. -- Reciprocal figures (Geom.), two figures of the same kind (as triangles, parallelograms, prisms, etc.), so related that two sides of the one form the extremes of a proportion of which the means are the two corresponding sides of the other; in general, two figures so related that the first corresponds in some special way to the second, and the second corresponds in the same way to the first. -- Reciprocal proportion (Math.), a proportion such that, of four terms taken in order, the first has to the second the same ratio which the fourth has to the third, or the first has to the second the same ratio which the reciprocal of the third has to the reciprocal of the fourth. Thus, 2:5: :20:8 form a reciprocal proportion, because 2:5: : -- Reciprocal quantities (Math.), any two quantities which produce unity when multiplied together. -- Reciprocal ratio (Math.), the ratio between the reciprocals of two quantities; as, the reciprocal ratio of 4 to 9 is that of -- Reciprocal terms (Logic), those terms which have the same signification, and, consequently, are convertible, and may be used for each other.

Syn. -- Mutual; alternate.

reciprocal, n. 

•  That which is reciprocal to another thing.  [1913 Webster]

  "Corruption is a reciprocal to generation."  [1913 Webster]
•  The quotient arising from dividing unity by any quantity; thus reciprocal of 4; 1/(a + b) is the reciprocal of a + b. The reciprocal of a fraction is the fraction inverted, or the denominator divided by the numerator.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

reciprocal, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 in return (offered a reciprocal greeting).
2 mutual (their feelings are reciprocal).
3 Gram. (of a pronoun) expressing mutual action or relation (as in each other).
4 inversely correspondent; complementary (natural kindness matched by a reciprocal severity).
--n. Math. an expression or function so related to another that their product is unity (1/2 is the reciprocal of 2).

Derivative

reciprocality n. reciprocally adv.

Etymology

L reciprocus ult. f. re- back + pro forward

THESAURUS

reciprocal

algorismic, algorithmic, aliquot, ally, alter ego, alternate, analogon, analogous, analogue, answering, associate, associated, back-and-forth, beating, brother, cardinal, changeable, circling, close copy, close match, coacting, coactive, coadjutant, coadjuvant, coefficient, coequal, cognate, collaborative, collective, collectivist, collectivistic, collusive, combined, commensal, common, communal, communalist, communalistic, communist, communistic, communitarian, commutable, commutative, commutual, companion, compensatory, complement, complemental, complementary, concerted, concordant, concurrent, concurring, congenator, congener, conjoint, conniving, convertible, cooperant, cooperating, cooperative, coordinate, correlate, correlative, correspondent, corresponding, counterpart, cyclic, decimal, differential, digital, double, duplicate, ecumenic, epochal, equal, equalizing, equipollent, equivalent, even, every other, exchanged, exponential, fellow, figural, figurate, figurative, finite, fractional, general, give-and-take, harmonious, harmonized, homologous, image, imaginary, impair, impossible, in common, infinite, integral, interchangeable, interchanged, intermittent, irrational, isochronal, joint, kindred spirit, like, likeness, logarithmic, logometric, match, mate, measured, metronomic, mutual, near duplicate, negative, noncompetitive, numeral, numerary, numerative, numeric, obverse, odd, ordinal, oscillatory, pair, parallel, pendant, periodical, permutable, picture, popular, positive, possible, prime, public, pulsing, punitive, radical, rational, real, reciprocating, reciprocative, recompensing, recompensive, recurrent, recurring, reparative, restitutive, retaliative, retaliatory, retributive, retributory, returnable, rhythmic, rotary, seasonal, second self, seesaw, serial, shared, similitude, simulacrum, sine wave, sister, social, socialistic, societal, soul mate, standard, steady, submultiple, such, suchlike, surd, swapped, switched, symbiotic, synergetic, synergic, synergistic, tally, tantamount, the like of, the likes of, to-and-fro, traded, transcendental, transposed, twin, uncompetitive, undulant, undulatory, up-and-down, wavelike, wheeling

ROGET THESAURUS

reciprocal

Correlation

N correlation, reciprocalness, reciprocity, reciprocation, mutuality, correlation, interdependence, interrelation, connection, link, association, interchange, exchange, barter, reciprocator, reprocitist, reciprocal, mutual, commutual, correlative, reciprocative, interrelated, closely related, alternate, interchangeable, interdependent, international, complemental, complementary, mutually, mutatis mutandis, vice versa, each other, one another, by turns, reciprocally, happy in our mutual help.

Number

N number, symbol, numeral, figure, cipher, digit, integer, counter, round number, formula, function, series, sum, difference, complement, subtrahend, product, multiplicand, multiplier, multiplicator, coefficient, multiple, dividend, divisor, factor, quotient, submultiple, fraction, rational number, surd, irrational number, transcendental number, mixed number, complex number, complex conjugate, numerator, denominator, decimal, circulating decimal, repetend, common measure, aliquot part, prime number, prime, relative prime, prime factor, prime pair, reciprocal, totient, binary number, octal number, hexadecimal number, permutation, combination, variation, election, ratio, proportion, comparison, progression, arithmetical progression, geometrical progression, harmonical progression, percentage, permilage, figurate numbers, pyramidal numbers, polygonal numbers, power, root, exponent, index, logarithm, antilogarithm, modulus, base, differential, integral, fluxion, fluent, numeral, complementary, divisible, aliquot, reciprocal, prime, relatively prime, fractional, decimal, figurate, incommensurable, proportional, exponential, logarithmic, logometric, differential, fluxional, integral, totitive, positive, negative, rational, irrational, surd, radical, real, complex, imaginary, finite, infinite, impossible, numerically, modulo, number, symbol, numeral, figure, cipher, digit, integer, counter, round number, formula, function, series, sum, difference, complement, subtrahend, product, multiplicand, multiplier, multiplicator, coefficient, multiple, dividend, divisor, factor, quotient, submultiple, fraction, rational number, surd, irrational number, transcendental number, mixed number, complex number, complex conjugate, numerator, denominator, decimal, circulating decimal, repetend, common measure, aliquot part, prime number, prime, relative prime, prime factor, prime pair, reciprocal, totient, binary number, octal number, hexadecimal number, permutation, combination, variation, election, ratio, proportion, comparison, progression, arithmetical progression, geometrical progression, harmonical progression, percentage, permilage, figurate numbers, pyramidal numbers, polygonal numbers, power, root, exponent, index, logarithm, antilogarithm, modulus, base, differential, integral, fluxion, fluent, numeral, complementary, divisible, aliquot, reciprocal, prime, relatively prime, fractional, decimal, figurate, incommensurable, proportional, exponential, logarithmic, logometric, differential, fluxional, integral, totitive, positive, negative, rational, irrational, surd, radical, real, complex, imaginary, finite, infinite, impossible, numerically, modulo.

Interchange

N interchange, exchange, commutation, permutation, intermutation, reciprocation, transposition, rearrangement, shuffling, alternation, reciprocity, castling (at chess), hocus-pocus, interchangeableness, interchangeability, recombination, combination, barter, tit for tat, cross fire, battledore and shuttlecock, quid pro quo, interchanged, reciprocal, mutual, commutative, interchangeable, intercurrent, combinatorial, recombinant, in exchange, vice versa, mutatis mutandis, backwards and forwards, by turns, turn and turn about, each in his turn, everyone in his turn.