Standard Lemma guide

counterpart

noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈkaʊntəˌpɑːt/
  • US: /ˈkaʊntɚˌpɑɹt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: K AW1 N T ER0 P AA2 R T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Either of two parts that fit together or otherwise complement one another.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: complement, mate
  • Those brass knobs and their hollow counterparts interlock perfectly.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: complement, mate

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A duplicate of a legal document.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: copy, duplicate

3

noun

Meaning 3

One who or that which resembles another.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

One who or that which has corresponding functions or characteristics.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: (each contextually synonymous) opposite number, counterparty, opponent, homolog, homotype, equivalent, partner, vis-à-vis
  • Her French counterpart attended the meeting via video call.
  • The two companies are working together with their respective counterparts in Asia.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: opposite number, counterparty, opponent, homolog, homotype, equivalent, partner, vis-à-vis

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Either half of a flattened fossil when the rock has split along the plane of the fossil.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, history, human-sciences, natural-sciences, paleontology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To counterbalance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

a duplicate copy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: similitude, twin

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: duplicate, duplication

8

noun

Meaning 8

a person or thing having the same function or characteristics as another

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: opposite number, vis-a-vis

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: equivalent

Narrower terms: match, mismatch, complement

History

Etymology

From Middle English conterpart, countre parte (“duplicate of a legal document”), equivalent to counter- + part. Compare Old French contrepartie, itself from contre (“facing, opposite”) (from Latin contra (“against”)) + partie (“copy of a person or thing”) (originally past participle of partīre (“to divide”)).

Across languages

Translations

77 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: eweknie — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Bulgarian: дво́йник (dvójnik) — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Bulgarian: еш (eš) — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Catalan: contrapart — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Catalan: equivalent — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Dutch: tegenhanger — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Dutch: complement — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Dutch: pendant — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Finnish: vastakappale — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Finnish: vastinkappale — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • French: contre-partie — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Galician: equivalente — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • German: Gegenstück — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • German: Pendant — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Greek: ομόλογος (omólogos) — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Irish: leathcheann — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Polish: odpowiednik — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Romanian: contrapiesă — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Russian: двойни́к (dvojník) — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Spanish: contrapartida — either of two parts that fit together, or complement one another
  • Bulgarian: дублика́т (dublikát) — law: duplicate of a legal document
  • Bulgarian: ко́пие (kópie) — law: duplicate of a legal document
  • Czech: stejnopis — law: duplicate of a legal document
  • Dutch: duplikaat — law: duplicate of a legal document
  • Finnish: rinnakkaiskappale — law: duplicate of a legal document
  • German: Duplikat — law: duplicate of a legal document
  • German: Kopie — law: duplicate of a legal document
  • Irish: macasamhail — law: duplicate of a legal document
  • Irish: cóip — law: duplicate of a legal document
  • Irish: cuntrapháirt — law: duplicate of a legal document
  • Romanian: duplicat — law: duplicate of a legal document
  • Russian: дублика́т (dublikát) — law: duplicate of a legal document
  • Russian: ко́пия (kópija) — law: duplicate of a legal document
  • Bulgarian: дво́йник (dvójnik) — something that resembles something else
  • Czech: protějšek — something that resembles something else
  • Dutch: gelijke — something that resembles something else
  • Dutch: equivalent — something that resembles something else
  • Dutch: tegenhanger — something that resembles something else
  • Finnish: vastine — something that resembles something else
  • German: Ebenbild — something that resembles something else
  • Hungarian: hasonmás — something that resembles something else
  • Irish: macasamhail — something that resembles something else
  • Irish: athghin — something that resembles something else
  • Irish: leathbhreac — something that resembles something else
  • Irish: leathcheann — something that resembles something else
  • Irish: leithéid — something that resembles something else
  • Polish: odpowiednik — something that resembles something else
  • Portuguese: sósia — something that resembles something else
  • Russian: двойни́к (dvojník) — something that resembles something else
  • Russian: ко́пия (kópija) — something that resembles something else
  • Russian: ана́лог (análog) — something that resembles something else
  • Spanish: contrapunto — something that resembles something else
  • Arabic: نَظِير (naẓīr) — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Bulgarian: аналог (analog) — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Chinese Mandarin: 對方 /对方 (duìfāng) — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Czech: protějšek — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Dutch: evenknie — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Dutch: tegenhanger — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Dutch: tegenpartij — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Dutch: tegenspeler — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Dutch: equivalent — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Finnish: vastine — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • French: homologue — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • German: Gegenüber — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Greek: ομόλογος (omólogos) — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Greek: ομόλογη (omólogi) — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Japanese: 相手 (aite) — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Korean: 상대방 (sangdaebang) — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Korean: 상대 (sangdae) — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Māori: hāngaitanga — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Russian: ана́лог (análog) — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Russian: колле́га (kolléga) — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Russian: контраге́нт (kontragént) — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Russian: проти́вная сторона́ (protívnaja storoná) — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Slovak: náprotivok — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Spanish: homólogo — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
  • Spanish: homóloga — one which has corresponding functions or characteristics
Real reading context

counterpart in complete knowledge articles