In linguistics, converses or relational antonyms are pairs of words that refer to a relationship from opposite points of view, such as parent/child or borrow/lend.[1][2] The relationship between such words is called a converse relation.[2] Converses can be understood as a pair of words where one word implies a relationship between two objects, while the other implies the existence of the same relationship when the objects are reversed. [3] Converses are sometimes referred to as complementary antonyms because an "either/or" relationship is present between them. One exists only because the other exists.[4]
List of converse words
Own and belong are relational opposites i.e. "A owns B" is the same as "B belongs to A."
Win and lose i.e. if someone wins, someone must lose.
Fraction and whole i.e. if there is a fraction, there must be a whole.
↑"converse". The SIL French/English Glossary of Linguistic Terms. Archived from the original on 2014-10-22. Retrieved 2013-07-04.
12Plag, Ingo; Braun, Maria; Lappe, Sabine; Schramm, Mareile (2009). Introduction to English Linguistics. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN978-3-11-021550-2. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
↑"Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms". Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
↑"Antonyms". Annies-annex.com. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 2016-12-27.
