antipodal
Americanadjective
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Geography. on the opposite side of the globe; pertaining to the antipodes.
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diametrically opposite.
twin brothers with antipodal personalities.
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Botany. (in a developing ovule) of or at the end opposite to the micropyle.
antipodal nuclei.
adjective
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of or relating to diametrically opposite points on the earth's surface
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exactly or diametrically opposite
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In angiosperms, any of three nuclei located at the end of the embryo sac opposite the micropyle. The antipodals degenerate at or shortly after fertilization.
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See more at embryo sac
Etymology
Origin of antipodal
Explanation
When things directly oppose each other, they're antipodal. Geographers use antipodal for places that are on the exact opposite sides of the earth from each other. Parts of Spain are antipodal to New Zealand — in other words, if you drew a line straight through the center of the earth, you could connect those two countries. The Greek root of antipodal is antipous, "with feet opposite ours." You can also use this adjective figuratively to mean "opposed." If you and your brother couldn't be more different (you like vanilla, he prefers chocolate; you're a dog person, he loves cats), the two of you are antipodal.
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.
In the book Baum merely set her wickedness as antipodal to Dorothy Gale’s pluck and goodness.
From Salon • Dec. 2, 2024
Measuring roughly 18 inches by 24 inches, the printed map encapsulates an antipodal, 103,483-square-mile country that required 20 hours of air travel for me to get there.
From Washington Post • Apr. 30, 2020
It’s a chilly Saturday in April — the antipodal winter is coming — and Teng has worked overtime again.
From New York Times • May 2, 2017
He flew to Australia to search stream beds for Blakemore’s antipodal counterparts.
From Science Magazine • Jun. 23, 2016
During the antipodal winter he was employed as a much- in-demand helicopter-skiing guide.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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.
