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Converse (semantics)

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In linguistics, converses or relational antonyms are pairs of words that refer to a relationship from opposite points of view, such as parent/child or borrow/lend.[1][2] The
relationship between such words is called a converse relation.[2] Converses can be understood as a pair of words where one word implies a relationship between two
objects, while the other implies the existence of the same relationship when the objects are reversed. [3] Converses are sometimes referred to as complementary antonyms
because an "either/or" relationship is present between them. One exists only because the other exists.[4]

List of converse words

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Own and belong are relational opposites i.e. "A owns B" is the same as "B belongs to A."

Win and lose i.e. if someone wins, someone must lose.

Fraction and whole i.e. if there is a fraction, there must be a whole.

Above and below

Employer and employee

Parent and child

Teacher and student

Buy and sell

East and west

Husband and wife

Predator and prey

Lend and borrow

Offense and defense

Slave and master

See also
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Opposite (semantics)

References
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1. ^ "converse" . The SIL French/English Glossary of Linguistic Terms. Archived from the original on 2014-10-22. Retrieved 2013-07-04.

2. ^ a b Plag, Ingo; Braun, Maria; Lappe, Sabine; Schramm, Mareile (2009). Introduction to English Linguistics . Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-021550-2. Retrieved 4 July 2013.

3. ^ "Synonyms, Antonyms,　and Homonyms" . Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2013.

4. ^ "Antonyms" . Annies-annex.com. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 2016-12-27.

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Last edited 2 months ago by The Eloquent Peasant

R E L AT E D A R T I C L E S

Opposite (semantics) Auto-antonym

Unpaired word
Linguistic concept Word that has two opposing meanings

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