reciprocal Hear it!

reciprocal definition

re·cip·ro·cal (ri siprə kəl)

adjective

  1. done, felt, given, etc. in return hoping for a reciprocal favor
  2. present or existing on both sides; each to the other; mutual to feel a reciprocal affection
  3. corresponding but reversed or inverted
  4. equivalent or interchangeable; corresponding or complementary
  5. Gram. expressing mutual action or relation “each other” is traditionally called a reciprocal pronoun
  6. Math. of the reciprocals of quantities, or their relations

Etymology: < L reciprocus, returning, reciprocal < *reco-prokos, backwards and forwards < *recos (< re-, back + *cos < ?) + IE *proko-, ahead (> Gr proka, forthwith) < base *pro-, forward, ahead + -al

noun

  1. anything that has a reciprocal action on or relation to another; complement, counterpart, equivalent, etc.
  2. Math. the quantity resulting from the division of 1 by the given quantity; quantity which multiplied by the given quantity equals 1 (Ex.: the reciprocal of 7 is , of is 7)

Related Forms:

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