opposite

US /ˈɑp(ə)sɪt/ UK /ˈɒpəzɪt/ See IPA manual

adj noun Freq #2645

Meanings

1

adj
Located directly across from something or facing it.

She saw him walking on the opposite side of the road.
2

adj
Completely different in nature or direction.

They were moving in opposite directions.
3

noun
A person or thing that is completely different from another.

She is the opposite of her shy older brother.
4

adj
Being the other one of a matching pair.

He is attracted to the opposite sex.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

antipodeanantithetical contradictory contrariant contrariwise contrary contrasted converse counter cross inverseinverted

Opposites

identical

Word family

Forms opposites

Derived forms oppositelyoppositenesssubopposite

Related forms antithesis appositeblack-and-whitereciprocal

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English opposit, borrowed from Old French oposite, from Latin oppositus, perfect passive participle of oppōnō (“to oppose”). Compare oppose.

opposit Middle English oposite Old French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Space, Position & Direction

# opposite

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** ˈɑp(ə)sɪt
**IPA (UK):** ˈɒpəzɪt
**Frequency rank:** 2645

## Meanings
1. Located directly across from something or facing it.
2. Completely different in nature or direction.
3. A person or thing that is completely different from another.
4. Being the other one of a matching pair.

## Examples
- She saw him walking on the opposite side of the road.
- They were moving in opposite directions.
- She is the opposite of her shy older brother.
- He is attracted to the opposite sex.

## Synonyms
- antipodean
- antithetical
- contradictory
- contrariant
- contrariwise
- contrary
- contrasted
- converse
- counter
- cross
- inverse
- inverted

## Antonyms
- identical

## Derived Forms
- oppositely
- oppositeness
- subopposite

## Related Forms
- antithesis
- apposite
- black-and-white
- reciprocal

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: opposit
- Root: oposite

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English opposit, borrowed from Old French oposite, from Latin oppositus, perfect passive participle of oppōnō (“to oppose”). Compare oppose.

## AI Etymology
Opposite is inherited from Middle English opposit, borrowed from Old French oposite, from Latin oppositus, perfect passive participle of oppōnō (“to oppose”). Compare oppose. The historical chain includes Middle English opposit and Old French oposite. Modern senses include located directly across from something or facing it and completely different in nature or direction. The wider word family includes derivatives such as oppositely, oppositeness, and subopposite and related forms such as antithesis, apposite, black-and-white, and reciprocal.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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opposite

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