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.
Manchester City have not spread the load in the same way as some of their counterparts. Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025 And Delbis, a newcomer who self-identifies as autistic, provides a perfect, harmonious counterpart to the chaos and cacophony. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025 Kirkè Overdose said that Tiziana Terenzi’s fragrant celebration of beauty — the brand encourages layering and pairing the original Kirkè with its anniversary edition counterpart for a new sensorial experience. Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025 Burros need to consume much more plant material than their native grazing counterparts, like bighorn sheep or mule deer, due to their less efficient digestive systems. John Leos, AZCentral.com, 23 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 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

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