We explain what mutually means, the origin of the term and in what cases it is used. Also, examples in sentences.
What does mutual mean?
When we say that something happens mutually, we mean that it happens mutually, that is, that it happens mutually. reciprocal, interchangeable between two people, animals or things. Thus, for example, a feeling can be mutual (or mutually given) when two people experience it for each other: mutual love or mutual hatred is something that A feels for B as much as B feels for A.
The word mutually derives from mutual (with the suffix –mind, denoting quality of an action), which in turn comes from the Latin mutual, reciprocal form of the verb I will mutate (change). Something mutual is, in this way, that which is exchanged or can be changed between two referents, and therefore can be said to occur mutually.
Mutual or reciprocal actions, relations or conditions, therefore, are contrary to unidirectional, unilateral or singular actions, since the latter occur in only one direction.
For example, for a trust to be mutual, it must go both ways: one person trusts the other and the latter trusts the former. Otherwise, it is a confidence unilateral: someone trusts another person, but the latter does not trust him, or does not trust him to the same degree.
Here are some examples of sentences with "mutually":
- "Carlos and Juan inspected each other with their eyes."
- "The police and the assailants were shooting at each other for hours."
- "China and the United States continue to threaten each other."
- "My ex-girlfriend and I broke up, but we still love each other."
- “When we got promoted at work, we congratulated each other at the office.”