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; 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.
Quantum systems can store and transfer information in ways that have no classical counterpart, and measurements themselves play a key role in how these systems evolve.
From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026
In between sessions, he struck up a conversation with his counterpart, Col.
From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026
He described a world in which an AI agent works through the night, its human counterpart reviews the results in the morning, and then the agent resumes working autonomously during the lunch break.
From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026
House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, responded to Patrick’s remark on social media without mentioning his counterpart by name.
From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026
My eyes automatically flicked past Tess, looking for her counterpart, Eliana, but she was nowhere to be seen.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
