counterpart
Americannoun
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a person or thing closely resembling another, especially in function.
Our president is the counterpart of your prime minister.
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a copy; duplicate.
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Law. a duplicate or copy of an indenture.
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one of two parts that fit, complete, or complement one another.
noun
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a person or thing identical to or closely resembling another
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one of two parts that complement or correspond to each other
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a person acting opposite another in a play
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a duplicate, esp of a legal document; copy
Etymology
Origin of counterpart
late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at counter-, part
Explanation
If you leap tall buildings in a single bound for the Des Moines branch of your corporation, then your Metropolis counterpart might be Superman. That means you and Superman do similar jobs, but in different locations. The noun counterpart comes from the French word countre part, meaning “duplicate of a legal document.” In legal circles counterpart still means "a duplicate document," but today it is more likely to describe people. Counterparts aren't duplicates, of course, but they have similar skills and responsibilities. If you play soccer, your counterpart is the player on the other team who plays the same position.
Vocabulary lists containing counterpart
Against All Odds: Contra and Counter
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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
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List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Lebanese army chief Rodolphe Haykal left on Saturday to meet his powerful Pakistani counterpart Asim Munir, with a Lebanon-based source telling AFP the visit was linked to the broader peace talks.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
World football's governing body Fifa, and its European counterpart Uefa, allow players with ICDs to participate in their competitions, as does Germany's Bundesliga, where Eriksen spent the past season playing for Wolfsburg.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
The weekly paycheck for the median male full-time wage-and-salary worker in 2025—$1,325—was roughly the same, adjusted for inflation, as his counterpart earned in 1979.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
During the Getty Center’s closure, its coastal counterpart, the Getty Villa, will remain open to the public and house a special collection of works borrowed from the Center.
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
Hence, there is an emotional tension between artist and audience that has no counterpart in the relationship of artisan and customer.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
