counterpart

noun

coun·​ter·​part ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌpärt 

1

: one of two corresponding copies of a legal instrument : duplicate

2

a

: a thing that fits another perfectly

b

: something that completes : complement

the lead actress and her male counterpart

3

a

: one remarkably similar to another

The crow is sometimes mistaken for its larger counterpart, the raven.

b

: one having the same function or characteristics as another

college presidents and their counterparts in business

Synonyms

• equivalent

Examples of counterpart in a Sentence

The secretary of defense met with his counterparts in Asia to discuss the nuclear crisis.

Metal tools replaced their stone counterparts many, many years ago.

the lead actress and her male counterpart

Recent Examples on the Web

All of this determines why Le Bernardin is expensive, but not as much as many others in New York, and considerably less than Parisian counterparts. —John Mariani, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025

Certain types of roofing materials are designed to reflect more sunlight than their counterparts, leading to cooler interiors. —Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2025

Historically, the 11th ward was overlooked by her white counterparts. —Essence, 30 June 2025

Their pure software counterparts, such as Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Workday, command valuations of 22-92x EV/EBITDA. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for counterpart

• apart
• depart
• flowchart
• forepart
• impart
• pushcart
• rampart
• redstart
• restart
• subpart
• sweetheart
• upstart

Kids Definition

counterpart

noun

coun·​ter·​part ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌpärt 

1

: a part or thing that matches another

the left arm is the counterpart of the right

2

: something that serves to complete something else : complement

3

: a person closely resembling another

Legal Definition

counterpart

noun

coun·​ter·​part ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌpärt 

: one of two corresponding or duplicate copies of a legal instrument