counterpart

noun

coun·​ter·​part ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌpärt How to pronounce counterpart (audio)
1
: one of two corresponding copies of a legal instrument : duplicate
2
a
: a thing that fits another perfectly
b
: something that completes : complement
the lead actress and her male counterpart
3
a
: one remarkably similar to another
The crow is sometimes mistaken for its larger counterpart, the raven.
b
: one having the same function or characteristics as another
college presidents and their counterparts in business

Examples of counterpart in a Sentence

The secretary of defense met with his counterparts in Asia to discuss the nuclear crisis. Metal tools replaced their stone counterparts many, many years ago. the lead actress and her male counterpart
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Slot shares this staple of Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglou’s attacking principles, with Porro adept at tucking inside to disrupt the opposition shape. Andy Jones, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025 Social media platforms, podcasts, and Clubhouse discussions have become intellectual hubs where people engage with the works of Hannah Arendt, Michel Foucault, Yuval Harari, and Slavoj Žižek and often with more intensity than their counterparts elsewhere. Rebecca Ruth Gould, JSTOR Daily, 9 Apr. 2025 As for Mendoza’s screen counterpart, he’s played, in a especially strong turn, by Reservation Dogs‘ D’Pharoah Woon-A-Tai. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2025 In a reciprocal show of respect, Lee handed over his ceremonial sword to Grant, only to have his counterpart return it. Made By History, Time, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for counterpart

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of counterpart was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Counterpart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterpart. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

counterpart

noun
coun·​ter·​part ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌpärt How to pronounce counterpart (audio)
1
: a part or thing that matches another
the left arm is the counterpart of the right
2
: something that serves to complete something else : complement
3
: a person closely resembling another

Legal Definition

counterpart

noun
coun·​ter·​part ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌpärt How to pronounce counterpart (audio)
: one of two corresponding or duplicate copies of a legal instrument

More from Merriam-Webster on counterpart

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