Definition of "reciprocal"

reciprocal

/ɹɪˈsɪpɹək(ə)l/

adjective
not comparable
1. Of a feeling, action or such: mutual, uniformly felt or done by each party towards the other or others; two-way.
  Quotations
  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, [Act IV, scene vi], page 304, column 2
2. Mutually interchangeable.
  Quotations
  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
3. (grammar) Expressing mutual action, applied to pronouns and verbs; also in a broad sense: reflexive.
4. (mathematics) Used to denote different kinds of mutual relation; often with reference to the substitution of reciprocals for given quantities.
5. Done, given, felt, or owed in return.
noun
plural reciprocals
1. (arithmetic) The number obtained by dividing 1 by another given number; the result of exchanging the numerator and the denominator of a fraction.
2. (grammar) A construction expressing mutual action.
  Quotations
  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

Definition of "reciprocal"

reciprocal

adjective

Quotations

Quotations

noun

Quotations