counterpart

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A person or thing that has the same role or function as another in a different place or system.

   The minister discussed trade with her French counterpart.

2. 2
   noun

   One of two parts that fit together or complete each other.

   Those brass knobs and their hollow counterparts interlock perfectly.

From Middle English conterpart, countre parte (“duplicate of a legal document”), equivalent to counter- + part. Compare Old French contrepartie, itself from contre (“facing, opposite”) (from Latin contra (“against”)) + partie (“copy of a person or thing”) (originally past participle of partīre (“to divide”)).

Topics