INVERSE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does inverse mean? 

• INVERSE (noun)
  The noun INVERSE has 1 sense:

1. something inverted in sequence or character or effect

  Familiarity information: INVERSE used as a noun is very rare.

• INVERSE (adjective)
  The adjective INVERSE has 2 senses:

1. reversed (turned backward) in order or nature or effect

2. opposite in nature or effect or relation to another quantity

  Familiarity information: INVERSE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INVERSE (noun)

Sense 1

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 ("inverse" is a kind of...):

oppositeness; opposition (the relation between opposed entities)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "inverse"):

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)

• INVERSE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Reversed (turned backward) in order or nature or effect

Synonyms:

inverse; reverse

Similar:

backward (directed or facing toward the back or rear)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Opposite in nature or effect or relation to another quantity

Context example:

a term is in inverse proportion to another term if it increases (or decreases) as the other decreases (or increases)

Similar:

reciprocal (of or relating to the multiplicative inverse of a quantity or function)

Domain category:

math; mathematics; maths (a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement)

Antonym:

direct (similar in nature or effect or relation to another quantity)

 Context examples 

Generally speaking, the speed of a dune is inverse to its size: smaller dunes move faster and larger dunes move slower.

(Sand dunes can ‘communicate’ with each other, University of Cambridge)

An inverse role has the same basic meaning of a role entity but is expressed in the opposite direction.

(Inverse Role, NCI Thesaurus)

Now you clearly see the sequence of events, though you see them, of course, in the inverse order to the way in which they presented themselves to me.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

An inverse association has the same basic meaning of an association but is expressed in the opposite direction.

(Inverse Association, NCI Thesaurus)

Significant inverse trends were observed for CRC specific mortality, as well.

(Healthy Diets Have Better Impact on Colorectal Cancer, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The study relies on a synthesis of results from "inverse transport models"— atmospheric models run in reverse.

(World's forests increasingly taking up more carbon, National Science Foundation)

HDL and triglycerides are both correlated with heart attack, and have an inverse relationship with one another—the lower the HDL, the higher the triglycerides.

(Rare mutations reduce heart disease risk, NIH)

The study found a consistent inverse association between total nut consumption and total cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease.

(Eating Regular Variety of Nuts Associated with Lower Risk of Heart Disease, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Also called: Acne inverse, Suppurative hidradenitis

(Hidradenitis Suppurativa, NIH)

Associations are bidirectional and have a stated inverse.

(NCI Thesaurus Association, NCI Thesaurus)