inverse

IPA

Dictionary definition of inverse

Pertaining to something that is the opposite or reversed version of another thing, often in terms of position, relationship, or effect.
"An inverse correlation between smoking and lifespan has been well-documented."

Detailed meaning of inverse

The adjective "inverse" It signifies a relationship where as one thing increases, the other decreases, and vice versa. In mathematics, an inverse operation undoes the effect of another operation, such as subtraction being the inverse of addition. In everyday language, "inverse" is often used to describe relationships or situations where changes in one variable result in corresponding changes in another, but in the opposite direction. For instance, in economics, there is often an inverse relationship between supply and demand—when supply goes up, demand tends to go down, and vice versa. In summary, "inverse" points to a reversal or opposite relationship between two things, where changes in one are mirrored by changes in the other, but in the opposite direction.

Example sentences containing inverse

1. The inverse relationship between supply and demand affects prices.
2. Multiplication and division are inverse operations in math.
3. Her kindness had the inverse effect, causing him to resent her.
4. The inverse function undoes the operation of the original.
5. The inverse of success is often failure, but not always.
6. Their personalities seemed like the inverse of each other.

History and etymology of inverse

The word 'inverse' has its origins in Latin and Old French. It can be traced back to the Latin word 'inversus,' which is the past participle of 'invertere,' where 'in' means 'in' or 'into,' and 'vertere' means 'to turn.' This etymology highlights the notion of a reversal or a turning in the opposite direction. Over time, 'inversus' evolved into 'inverse' in Old French, maintaining its core meaning of something that is the opposite or reversed version of another thing, particularly in terms of position, relationship, or effect. Thus, the etymology of 'inverse' reflects its fundamental concept of being the contrary or reversed counterpart of something else.

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Further usage examples of inverse

1. In physics, action and reaction are often inverse forces.
2. He believed that happiness is the inverse of material wealth.
3. The night sky is the inverse of the daytime landscape.
4. The inverse square law governs the intensity of radiation.
5. The inverse side of the coin held a hidden message.
6. In chess, the queen moves inversely along diagonals.
7. Trust is the inverse of doubt in a healthy relationship.
8. As time passed, their fortunes took inverse paths.
9. In chemistry, the inverse reaction produced a different compound.
10. His humor had the inverse effect, causing offense.
11. The inverse order of events changed the story's outcome.
12. The inverse correlation between effort and success surprised him.
13. The inverse of love is not hate but indifference.
14. In philosophy, the inverse argument reached a different conclusion.
15. The inverse relationship between supply and demand affected the price of the product.
16. As the temperature dropped, the inverse effect was observed on the ice cream sales.
17. The inverse function of y = x^2 is y = sqrt(x).
18. The inverse relationship between price and demand means that as the price goes up, the demand goes down.
19. An inverse relationship between two variables is often graphed as a downward-sloping curve.
20. The inverse of addition is subtraction, and the inverse of multiplication is division.
21. The inverse function of a given function is the one that undoes it.
22. Inverse square laws describe how a physical quantity varies as the inverse of the square of the distance from its source.
23. The inverse of a matrix can be calculated using various methods.
24. The inverse of a proposition is its negation.
25. The inverse of a probability is its complement.
26. Inverse proportions describe situations where one quantity increases as the other decreases.
27. The inverse of a number is its reciprocal.
28. Inverse problems are those where the cause is inferred from the observed effect.