counterpart
Americannoun
-
a person or thing closely resembling another, especially in function.
Our president is the counterpart of your prime minister.
-
a copy; duplicate.
-
Law. a duplicate or copy of an indenture.
-
one of two parts that fit, complete, or complement one another.
noun
-
a person or thing identical to or closely resembling another
-
one of two parts that complement or correspond to each other
-
a person acting opposite another in a play
-
a duplicate, esp of a legal document; copy
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Counterpart Siera Matsuo finished the sentence: “ … by making it more accessible to all.”
From Seattle Times • Jun. 9, 2023
Counterpart to inner emptiness is an outer invisibility.
From Slate • Jun. 17, 2019
They also said about 80 people were rescued from the four-story building occupied by Counterpart International, a U.S. government-supported group headquartered in Arlington that promotes leadership, civic engagement and elections in foreign countries.
From Washington Post • May 8, 2019
Counterpart International has operated in Afghanistan since 2005 and runs civic engagement projects.
From BBC • May 8, 2019
I shudder to think what would have happened in these circumstances to Lady Lottie Passingham or to the Literary Counterpart.
From Mad Shepherds and Other Human Studies by Jacks, L. P.
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.
