obverse

C2+ Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /ˈɑbvɝs/ UK /ˈɒbvɜːs/ See IPA manual

noun adj

Meanings

1

noun
the front or principal side of a coin or medal; a counterpart

The obverse of the coin bears the monarch's profile.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the front or principal side... front face counterpart complement

Opposites

reverse back

Word family

Derived forms obversely

Related forms reverse converse invert verse

Etymology

From Latin obversus ('turned toward'), past participle of obvertere ('to turn toward'), from ob- ('toward') plus vertere ('to turn').

obvertere Latin vertere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Space, Position & Direction

# obverse

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** ˈɑbvɝs
**IPA (UK):** ˈɒbvɜːs

## Meanings
1. the front or principal side of a coin or medal; a counterpart

## Examples
- The obverse of the coin bears the monarch's profile.

## Synonyms
- front
- face
- counterpart
- complement

## Antonyms
- reverse
- back

## Derived Forms
- obversely

## Related Forms
- reverse
- converse
- invert
- verse

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: obvertere
- Root: vertere

## Etymology
From Latin obversus ('turned toward'), past participle of obvertere ('to turn toward'), from ob- ('toward') plus vertere ('to turn').

## AI Etymology
Obverse comes from Latin obversus ('turned toward'), past participle of obvertere ('to turn toward'), from ob- ('toward') plus vertere ('to turn'). The etymological trail includes Latin obvertere and Latin vertere. As a noun, obverse means the front or principal side of a coin or medal; a counterpart. The same family is visible in derived forms such as obversely and related forms such as reverse, converse, invert, and verse.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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obverse

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