converse
1[ verb kuhn-vurs; noun kon-vurs ]
/ verb kənˈvɜrs; noun ˈkɒn vɜrs /
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verb (used without object), con·versed, con·vers·ing.
to talk informally with another or others; exchange views, opinions, etc., by talking.
Archaic. to maintain a familiar association (usually followed by with).
Obsolete. to have sexual intercourse (usually followed by with).
noun
familiar discourse or talk; conversation.
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Origin of converse
1synonym study for converse
1. See speak.
OTHER WORDS FROM converse
con·vers·er, nounOther definitions for converse (2 of 3)
converse2
[ adjective kuhn-vurs, kon-vurs; noun kon-vurs ]
/ adjective kənˈvɜrs, ˈkɒn vɜrs; noun ˈkɒn vɜrs /
adjective
opposite or contrary in direction, action, sequence, etc.; turned around.
noun
something opposite or contrary.
Logic.
- a proposition obtained from another proposition by conversion.
- the relation between two terms, one of which is related to the other in a given manner, as “younger than” to “older than.”
a group of words correlative with a preceding group but having a significant pair of terms interchanged, as “hot in winter but cold in summer” and “cold in winter but hot in summer.”
Origin of converse
2First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English convers, from Anglo-French or directly from Latin conversus, past participle of convertere “to turn around,” equivalent to con- “with, together” + vert- “to turn” + -tus past participle suffix; cf. convert1
OTHER WORDS FROM converse
con·verse·ly [kuhn-vurs-lee, kon-vurs-], /kənˈvɜrs li, ˈkɒn vɜrs-/, adverbOther definitions for converse (3 of 3)
Converse
[ kon-vurs ]
/ ˈkɒn vɜrs /
noun
Frederick Shep·herd [shep-erd], /ˈʃɛp ərd/, 1871–1940, U.S. composer.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use converse in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for converse (1 of 2)
converse1
verb (kənˈvɜːs) (intr often foll by with)
to engage in conversation (with)
to commune spiritually (with)
obsolete
- to associate; consort
- to have sexual intercourse
noun (ˈkɒnvɜːs)
conversation (often in the phrase hold converse with)
obsolete
- fellowship or acquaintance
- sexual intercourse
Derived forms of converse
converser, nounWord Origin for converse
C16: from Old French converser, from Latin conversārī to keep company with, from conversāre to turn constantly, from vertere to turn
British Dictionary definitions for converse (2 of 2)
converse2
/ (ˈkɒnvɜːs) /
adjective
(prenominal) reversed; opposite; contrary
noun
something that is opposite or contrary
logic
- a categorical proposition obtained from another by the transposition of subject and predicate, as no bad man is bald from no bald man is bad
- a proposition so derived, possibly by weakening a universal proposition to the corresponding particular, as some socialists are rich from all rich men are socialists
logic maths a relation that holds between two relata only when a given relation holds between them in reverse order: thus father of is the converse of son of
Word Origin for converse
C16: from Latin conversus turned around; see converse 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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