First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
1inverse
adjective in·verse \(ˌ)in-ˈvərs, ˈin-ˌ\
—used to describe two things that are related in such a way that as one becomes larger the other becomes smaller
: opposite in nature or effect
Full Definition of INVERSE
1
: opposite in order, nature, or effect
2
: being an inverse function <inverse sine>
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Origin of INVERSE
Middle English, turned upside down, from Latin inversus, from past participle of invertere
2inverse
noun
: something that is the opposite of something else
Full Definition of INVERSE
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 (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
See inverse defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of INVERSE
circa 1681
Other Logic Terms
INVERSE Defined for Kids
inverse
adjective in·verse \in-ˈvərs\
Definition of INVERSE for Kids
1
: opposite in order, nature, or effect <an inverse relationship>
2
: being a mathematical operation that is opposite in effect to another operation <Multiplication is the inverse operation of division.>
— in·verse·ly adverb
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