Inverse Meaning
/ɪnˈvɝs/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjOpposite in effect, nature or order.
adjReverse, opposite in order.
Sentence Examples
The inverse of a non-square matrix is a dangerous thing.
The derivatives of the inverse trigonometric functions are algebraic.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Turning the dial clockwise has the ____ effect, making the temperature decrease instead of increase.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There is an ____ relationship between the price of the product and the number of people who want to buy it.
Word Origin & History
Recorded since 1440, from Latin inversus, the past participle of invertere (“to invert”), itself from in- (“against, in”) + vertere (“to turn”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Inversion is the inferring, from a given proposition, another proposition whose subject is the contradictory of the subject of the original proposition. The given proposition is called the Invertend, that which is inferred from it is termed the Inverse... The rule for Inversion is: Convert either the Obverted Converse or the Obverted Contrapositive."
— 1896, James Welton, A Manual of Logic, 2nd edition, Bk iii, Ch. iii, §102:
"If the player... be determined to try his luck on the inverse, he must place his money on a yellow circle, or rather a collection of circles, situated at the extremity of the table."
— 1850, Henry George Bohn, The Hand-book of Games, page 343:
"The tailleur never mentions the words ‘Black’ or ‘Inverse’, but always says that Red wins or Red loses, and that the colour wins or the colour loses."
— 1950, Lawrence Hawkins Dawson, Hoyle's Games Modernized, 20th edition, page 291:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Turning the dial clockwise has the ____ effect, making the temperature decrease instead of increase.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There is an ____ relationship between the price of the product and the number of people who want to buy it.