inverse

adjective

1. not comparable Opposite in effect, nature or order.
2. not comparable Reverse, opposite in order.
3. not comparable Inverted; having a position or mode of attachment the reverse of that which is usual.
4. not comparable Having the properties of an inverse; said with reference to any two operations, which, when both are performed in succession upon any quantity, reproduce that quantity. Multiplication is the inverse operation to division.
5. not comparable That has the property of being an inverse (the result of a circle inversion of a given point or geometrical figure); that is constructed by circle inversion. A circle inversion maps a given generalized circle to its inverse generalized circle.
6. not comparable, of a category Whose every element has an inverse (morphism which is both a left inverse and a right inverse).

noun inverses

1. An inverted state: a state in which something has been turned (properly) upside down or (loosely) inside out or backwards. Cowgirl is the inverse of missionary.
2. The reverse of any procedure or process. Uninstalling is the inverse of installation.
3. A ratio etc. in which the antecedents and consequents are switched. The inverse of a:b is b:a.
4. The result of a circle inversion; the set of all such points; the curve described by such a set. The inverse P‘ of a point P is the point on a ray from the center O through P such that OP × OP‘ = r² or the set of all such points.
5. The non-truth-preserving proposition constructed by negating both the premise and conclusion of an initially given proposition. "Anything that isn't a dog doesn't go to heaven" is the inverse of "All dogs go to heaven." More generally, ¬ mathsf p→¬ mathsf q is the inverse of mathsf p→ mathsf q and is equivalent to the converse proposition mathsf q→ mathsf p.
6. The negative of a given number. The additive inverse of x is -x, as x-x=0, as 0 is the additive identity element.
7. One divided by a given number. The multiplicative inverse of x is x⁻¹, as x×x⁻¹=1, as 1 the multiplicative identity element.
8. A second function which, when combined with the initially given function, yields as its output any term inputted into the first function. The compositional inverse of a function f is f⁻¹, as ff⁻¹= mathit I, as mathit I is the identity function. That is, ∀x,f(f⁻¹(x))= mathit I(x)=x.
9. A morphism which is both a left inverse and a right inverse.
10. The winning of the coup in a game of rouge et noir by a card of a color different from that first dealt; the area of the table reserved for bets upon such an outcome. 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.
11. A grammatical number marking that indicates the opposite grammatical number (or numbers) of the default number specification of noun class.

Similar: additive inverse, multiplicative inverse, compositional inverse, inverse point, inverse curve

verb inverses · inversing · inversed

1. To compute the bearing and distance between two points.

Opposite: compute