Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adj. Placed or located directly across from something else or from each other: opposite sides of a building.
- adj. Facing the other way; moving or tending away from each other: opposite directions.
- adj. Being the other of two complementary or mutually exclusive things: the opposite sex; an opposite role to the lead in the play.
- adj. Altogether different, as in nature, quality, or significance: The effect of the medication was opposite to that intended.
- adj. Sharply contrasting; antithetical: had opposite views on the subject.
- adj. Botany Growing in pairs on either side of a stem: opposite leaves.
- n. One that is opposite or contrary to another.
- n. An opponent or antagonist.
- n. An antonym.
- adv. In an opposite position: They sat opposite at the table.
- prep. Across from or facing: parked the car opposite the bank.
- prep. In a complementary dramatic role to: He played opposite her.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- That forms or is situated in or on the other or further side, end, or boundary of an interval, space, or thing; placed over against or face to face with (another or one another): literally or figuratively: as, the opposite side of the street or square; the opposite door; an opposite angle.
- Contrary; reverse.
- Of a totally or radically different nature, quality, or tendency; also (of two persons or things), mutually antagonistic or repugnant; mutually opposed in character or action; contradictory; non-congruent: as, words of opposite meaning; opposite terms.
- Adverse; opposed; hostile; antagonistic; inimical.
- In botany: Situated on opposite sides of an axis, as leaves when there are two on one node.
- Having a position between an organ and the axis on which it is borne, as a stamen when it is opposite a sepal or petal. In both senses opposed to alternate.
- n. One who opposes or is adverse; an opponent; an adversary; an enemy; an antagonist.
- n. That which opposes; that which is opposed or is opposite; a complement in characteristic qualities or properties; specifically, as a logical term, anything contrasted with another in any sense.
- n. [Some modern writers on logic wish to call any two different species of the same genus opposites. This practice has little to recommend it.]
- In gcom., in any complete set of connectors or fans, said of the first and the (n /2+l)th, when n is even.
- n. In geometry, an opposite point.
Wiktionary
- adj. located directly across from something else, or from each other
- adj. facing in the other direction
- adj. of either of two complementary or mutually exclusive things
- n. something opposite or contrary to another
- n. an opponent
- n. an antonym
- n. an additive inverse
- adv. In an opposite position.
- prep. facing, or across from
- prep. in a complementary role to
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Placed over against; standing or situated over against or in front; facing; -- often with to.
- adj. Situated on the other end of an imaginary line passing through or near the middle of an intervening space or object; -- of one object with respect to another; -- also used both to describe two objects with respect to each other.
- adj. Applied to the other of two things which are entirely different; other.
- adj. Extremely different; inconsistent; contrary; repugnant; antagonistic.
- adj. Set over against each other, but separated by the whole diameter of the stem, as two leaves at the same node.
- adj. Placed directly in front of another part or organ, as a stamen which stands before a petal.
- n. One who opposes; an opponent; an antagonist.
- n. That which is opposed or contrary in character or meaning.
WordNet 3.0
- adj. altogether different in nature or quality or significance
- adj. of leaves etc; growing in pairs on either side of a stem
- adj. characterized by opposite extremes; completely opposed
- n. something inverted in sequence or character or effect
- adv. directly facing each other
- adj. the other one of a complementary pair
- n. a contestant that you are matched against
- n. a relation of direct opposition
- adj. moving or facing away from each other
- n. a word that expresses a meaning opposed to the meaning of another word, in which case the two words are antonyms of each other
- adj. being directly across from each other; facing.
Etymologies
- Middle English, from Old French, from Latin oppositus, past participle of oppōnere, oppose; see oppose.
Examples
“But with copper, and substances not sensible to ordinary magnetic impressions, _similar_ poles on opposite sides of the plate neutralize each other; _opposite_ poles exalt the action; and a single pole at the edge or end on does nothing.”
“What kind of mother looks at her newborn and gives her a name opposite of who she is?”
“I've been working on this for a while now, trying to advancebetter language that avoids the term opposite-sex for men and women, who differ by degrees -- and doesn't presume men and women married to each other are heterosexual.”
The Huffington Post: Philip N. Cohen: Gay and Lesbian Parents Making the Grade
“_Wealth_ was, at that time, the term opposite to _adversity_, or _calamity_.”
“If you mean in terms of improving the lot of the average Palestinian, then the opposite is the case.”
“It promotes the idea that science depends on perfect people to carry it out, when in fact the opposite is the case.”
“Unfortunately with the current situation the opposite is the case.”
Bush on Trial, Arnold Kling | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty
“Unfortunately, the opposite is the case for the United Kingdom, which is being treated with patronising contempt by its so-called leaders and other political parties.”
“It seems that quite the opposite is the case – even a highly regarded scientist who has done great work is open to criticism.”
“They think they are being Christian, but just the opposite is the case. just sad to read some of these posts”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘opposite’.
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UK Usage - Find US Equivalent
All these terms have a (different) American English equivalent. Wonder if you can identify them?
abridgement (abri..., accoutrement, accoutre, acknowledgement (..., opposite, advert, adaptor, adapter, sticking plaster, advertise, adviser (advisor ..., adze, aesthete and 1196 more...
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grade 3
ability, absorb, act, tive, actual, adopt, advantage, ambition, ancient, arrange, arctic, attitude and 125 more...
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Ayumi G3
Ability, absorb, accuse, act, active, actual, adopt, advantage, advice, ambition, ancient, approach and 128 more...
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Hearticulating
All sorts of names or terms for romantic partners: vague, clinical, physical, sleazy, cheesy, co-dependent, demeaning, sarcastic, or the dutifully committed. This is to provide a wide-range of le...
couple, partner, lover, sweetheart, significant other, confidant, consort, mate, better half, paramour, accomplice, counterpart and 52 more...

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