inverse

1 of 2

adjective

in·​verse (ˌ)in-ˈvərs 

ˈin-ˌvərs

1

: opposite in order, nature, or effect

2

: being an inverse function

inverse sine

inverse

2 of 2

noun

1

: something of a contrary nature or quality : opposite, reverse

2

: a proposition or theorem formed by contradicting both the subject and predicate or both the hypothesis and conclusion of a given proposition or theorem

the inverse of "if A then B" is "if not-A then not-B"

compare contrapositive

3

a

: inverse function

also : an operation (such as subtraction) that undoes the effect of another operation

b

: a set element that is related to another element in such a way that the result of applying a given binary operation to them is an identity element of the set

Examples of inverse in a Sentence

Adjective

Addition and subtraction are inverse operations.

Noun

the inverse of your argument

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Here’s the weekly chart that clearly depicts IWM breaking out from a two-and-a-half-year bullish inverse head-and-shoulders pattern. —Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 17 July 2024

Three of the four are Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Donald Trump — listed in order of election and inverse order of age. —Philip Bump, Washington Post, 16 July 2024

Noun

The inverse is true of Democrats: 29% are weekly or monthly churchgoers; 30% are rural; and more than 40% are white, non-college men and women. —Craig Gilbert, Journal Sentinel, 17 July 2024

The problem is there just aren’t enough of them to counter their intellectual inverse, a group lumped together in Third Way research as Economy First Voters. —Philip Elliott, TIME, 17 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, turned upside down, from Latin inversus, from past participle of invertere

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing inverse

• additive inverse
• inverse function
• inverse square law
• inverse variation
• multiplicative inverse

Kids Definition

inverse

1 of 2 adjective

in·​verse (ˈ)in-ˈvərs 

ˈin-vərs

1

: opposite in order, nature, or effect

an inverse relationship between interest rates and houses sold

2

: being a mathematical operation opposite in effect to another

addition and subtraction are inverse operations

inverse

2 of 2 noun

in·​verse

ˈin-ˌvərs,

(ˈ)in-ˈvərs

: something inverse or resulting in or from inversion