reciprocal meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

reciprocal

adj

/ɹɪˈsɪpɹək(ə)l/

Etymology From Latin reciprocus, possibly from a phrase such as reque proque (“back and forth, to and fro”), from re- (“back”), prō (“forwards”) and -que (“and”).

Of a feeling, action or such: mutual, uniformly felt or done by each party towards the other or others; two-way.

reciprocal love
reciprocal duties

2 more examples

a reciprocal invitation to lunch
Let our reciprocall vowes be remembred.c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vi], page 304, column 2:

Mutually interchangeable.

These two rules will render a definition reciprocal with the thing defined.1725, Isaac Watts, Logick: Or, The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry after Truth, […], 2nd edition, London: […] John Clark and Richard Hett, […], Emanuel Matthews, […], and Richard Ford, […], published 1726, →OCLC:

Grammar, Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences Expressing mutual action, applied to pronouns and verbs; also in a broad sense: reflexive.

Mathematics, Sciences Used to denote different kinds of mutual relation; often with reference to the substitution of reciprocals for given quantities.

Synonyms: mutual, two-way, contrary, opposite, converse, inverse, inverted, cross, reflexive, commutual, correlative, corresponding, interrelated, reciprocal, reciprocative
Derived terms: antireciprocal, irreciprocal, nonreciprocal, prime reciprocal magic square, reciprocal altruism, reciprocality, reciprocal IVF, reciprocalization, reciprocalize, reciprocal lattice, reciprocally, reciprocalness, reciprocal pronoun, reciprocal proportion, recipromantic, unreciprocal
Related terms: reciprocity
Hypernyms: connected
Hyponyms: alternate, interdependent

reciprocal

noun

Etymology From Latin reciprocus, possibly from a phrase such as reque proque (“back and forth, to and fro”), from re- (“back”), prō (“forwards”) and -que (“and”).

Arithmetic The number obtained by dividing 1 by another given number; the result of exchanging the numerator and the denominator of a fraction.

0.5 is the reciprocal of 2.

Grammar, Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences A construction expressing mutual action.

Depending on where reciprocalization applies (syntax vs. lexicon), the relevant reciprocal verbs are claimed to exhibit specific properties, in particular: (i) syntactic reciprocals are fully productive whereas lexical reciprocals have only limited productivity; […]2008, Ekkehard König, Volker Gast, Reciprocals and Reflexives: Theoretical and Typological Explorations: