Reciprocal Meaning
/ɹɪˈsɪpɹək(ə)l/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjOf a feeling, action or such: mutual, uniformly felt or done by each party towards the other or others; two-way.
adjMutually interchangeable.
Sentence Examples
The reciprocal of one-half is two.
The ministers will pay reciprocal visits early next year.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The two countries signed a ____ trade agreement that benefited both sides equally.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The two countries signed a ____ trade agreement that reduced tariffs on goods from both sides.
Word Origin & History
From Latin reciprocus, possibly from a phrase such as reque proque (“back and forth, to and fro”), from re- (“back”), prō (“forwards”) and -que (“and”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Let our reciprocall vowes be remembred."
— c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vi], page 304, column 2:
"These two rules will render a definition reciprocal with the thing defined."
— 1725, Isaac Watts, Logick: Or, The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry after Truth, […], 2nd edition, London: […] John Clark and Richard Hett, […], Emanuel Matthews, […], and Richard Ford, […], published 1726, →OCLC:
"Depending on where reciprocalization applies (syntax vs. lexicon), the relevant reciprocal verbs are claimed to exhibit specific properties, in particular: (i) syntactic reciprocals are fully productive whereas lexical reciprocals have only limited productivity; […]"
— 2008, Ekkehard König, Volker Gast, Reciprocals and Reflexives: Theoretical and Typological Explorations:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The two countries signed a ____ trade agreement that benefited both sides equally.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The two countries signed a ____ trade agreement that reduced tariffs on goods from both sides.