counterpart

KOWN-tur-part/ˈkaʊntɚˌpɑɹt/UKKOWN-tuh-paht/ˈkaʊntəˌpɑːt/

Verbcounterparts, counterparting, counterparted

6 meanings of counterpart

1
nouncountable
A person or thing that has the same job or features as another.
Like two players who play the same position on different teams.
The new principal called her counterpart at the other school for advice.
Our team leader often talks to his counterparts in the other offices.
Similarequivalent, peer
Note
2
nouncountable
A person or thing that looks like or is very similar to another.
Like a mirror image that looks almost exactly the same.
The toy was a tiny counterpart of the real race car.
These twins are such close counterparts that teachers mix them up.
Similarlikeness, equivalent, twin, parallel, match
3
nouncountable
One of two parts that fit together or complete each other.
Like two puzzle pieces that fit together.
A key and its lock are counterparts that work together.
Each glove is the counterpart of the other in the pair.
Similarcomplement, match, mate
4
nouncountable
A copy of a legal paper that matches the original.
Like having two copies of the same form, one for each person.
The lawyer kept one counterpart of the contract in her office safe.
Both counterparts of the agreement must be signed.
Similarduplicate, copy
Note
5
nouncountable
One of the two rock halves left when a stone splits and shows a flat fossil inside.
Like pressing a shell into wet clay and getting two halves that match.
When the slate split, the counterpart showed the leaf's shape clearly.
The museum displays both counterparts of the trilobite side by side.
Note
6
verbtransitive
To balance one thing against another of equal weight or force.
Like sitting on the heavier side of a seesaw to keep it level.
Heavy stones counterpart the weight at the other end of the beam.
The wide base counterparts the tower's leaning weight.
Similarcounterbalance, balance, offset, counteract

Practice

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Origin

From Middle English conterpart, made from counter- and part. It first meant a copy of a legal document.