OPPOSITE
Dictionary entry overview: What does opposite mean?
• OPPOSITE (noun)
The noun OPPOSITE has 4 senses:
1. a word that expresses a meaning opposed to the meaning of another word, in which case the two words are antonyms of each other
2. a relation of direct opposition
3. a contestant that you are matched against
4. something inverted in sequence or character or effect
Familiarity information: OPPOSITE used as a noun is uncommon.
• OPPOSITE (adjective)
The adjective OPPOSITE has 6 senses:
1. being directly across from each other; facing
2. of leaves etc; growing in pairs on either side of a stem
3. moving or facing away from each other
4. the other one of a complementary pair
5. altogether different in nature or quality or significance
6. characterized by opposite extremes; completely opposed
Familiarity information: OPPOSITE used as an adjective is common.
• OPPOSITE (adverb)
The adverb OPPOSITE has 1 sense:
1. directly facing each other
Familiarity information: OPPOSITE used as an adverb is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
• OPPOSITE (noun)
Meaning:
A word that expresses a meaning opposed to the meaning of another word, in which case the two words are antonyms of each other
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
antonym; opposite; opposite word
Context example:
to him the antonym of 'gay' was 'depressed'
Hypernyms ("opposite" is a kind of...):
word (a unit of language that native speakers can identify)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "opposite"):
direct antonym (antonyms that are commonly associated (e.g., 'wet' and 'dry'))
indirect antonym (antonyms whose opposition is mediated (e.g., the antonymy of 'wet' and 'parched' is mediated by the similarity of 'parched' to 'dry'))
Meaning:
A relation of direct opposition
Classified under:
Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas
Synonyms:
reverse; contrary; opposite
Context example:
we thought Sue was older than Bill but just the reverse was true
Hypernyms ("opposite" is a kind of...):
oppositeness; opposition (the relation between opposed entities)
Meaning:
A contestant that you are matched against
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Synonyms:
opponent; opposite; opposition
Hypernyms ("opposite" is a kind of...):
contestant (a person who participates in competitions)
Meaning:
Something inverted in sequence or character or effect
Classified under:
Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas
Synonyms:
inverse; opposite
Context example:
when the direct approach failed he tried the inverse
Hypernyms ("opposite" is a kind of...):
oppositeness; opposition (the relation between opposed entities)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "opposite"):
additive inverse ((mathematics) one of a pair of numbers whose sum is zero; the additive inverse of -5 is +5)
multiplicative inverse; reciprocal ((mathematics) one of a pair of numbers whose product is 1: the reciprocal of 2/3 is 3/2; the multiplicative inverse of 7 is 1/7)
• OPPOSITE (adjective)
Meaning:
Being directly across from each other; facing
Context examples:
And I on the opposite shore will be, ready to ride and spread the alarm / we lived on opposite sides of the street / at opposite poles
Similar:
other (not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied)
Meaning:
Of leaves etc; growing in pairs on either side of a stem
Synonyms:
paired; opposite
Context example:
opposite leaves
Domain category:
botany; phytology (the branch of biology that studies plants)
Antonym:
alternate (of leaves and branches etc; first on one side and then on the other in two ranks along an axis; not paired)
Meaning:
Moving or facing away from each other
Context examples:
looking in opposite directions / they went in opposite directions
Similar:
other (not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied)
Meaning:
The other one of a complementary pair
Context examples:
the opposite sex / the two chess kings are set up on squares of opposite colors
Similar:
other (not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied)
Meaning:
Altogether different in nature or quality or significance
Context examples:
the medicine's effect was opposite to that intended / it is said that opposite characters make a union happiest
Similar:
different (unlike in nature or quality or form or degree)
Meaning:
Characterized by opposite extremes; completely opposed
Synonyms:
diametric; diametrical; polar; opposite
Context examples:
in diametric contradiction to his claims / diametrical (or opposite) points of view / opposite meanings / extreme and indefensible polar positions
Similar:
different (unlike in nature or quality or form or degree)
• OPPOSITE (adverb)
Meaning:
Directly facing each other
Synonyms:
opposite; face-to-face
Context examples:
the two photographs lay face-to-face on the table / lived all their lives in houses face-to-face across the street / they sat opposite at the table
