We explain what is reciprocal and what are its uses in various fields. Also, some synonyms and antonyms of this term.
What is a reciprocal thing?
The word reciprocal in Spanish comes from the Latin reciprocus, which was a term used to describe the movement of the waters of sea, that come and go with the waves. This logic was later applied to other areas, and thus was born the use that we give to the term today, that is, said of something, which corresponds to one side as well as the other. It is a derivative of the noun reciprocity.
Thus, we say that something is reciprocal when it is applied in a proportionate way to two sides or two perspectives, as occurs for example when speaking of a feeling (which is reciprocal if both people feel it), of a transaction (which is reciprocal if both are involved). do they get something consistent), help (which is reciprocal when both parties benefit), or practically anything. Reciprocal relationships can be observed in affective, psychological, objectives, biological, etc.
This term, in addition, has very specific uses within disciplines individuals. For example, in the anthropology cultural, reciprocity is called the informal exchange of goods and work, as occurs in the economic system of a town. Similarly, in the field of math, is known as the reciprocal or multiplicative inverse of a number to another number that, following the expression 1 / x or x-1, yields 1 as a result when multiplied by x. A final example of this is the use of reciprocal in the right, for example, when talking about contracts reciprocal (that bind both parties) or reciprocal obligations (that both parties must obey).
Synonyms for reciprocal
The following terms are more or less synonyms reciprocal, going from the closest in meaning to the most distant:
- Mutual
- Correlative
- Bilateral
- Respective
- Alternate
- Interchangeable
- Equitable
- Ambidextrous
- Reverse
- Equal
- Likewise
- Related
Reciprocal antonyms
Reciprocal antonyms are those that establish a non-bilateral or non-correlative relationship, such as:
- Unilateral
- Asymmetric
- Uneven
- Unequal
- Partial
- Inequitable