Reciprocal

Reciprocal, rē-sip′rō-kal, adj. acting in return: mutual: alternating: interchangeable: giving and receiving.—n. that which is reciprocal: (math.) the quotient resulting from the division of unity by any given quantity.—n. Reciprocal′ity, the state or quality of being reciprocal: mutual return.—adv. Recip′rocally, mutually: interchangeably: inversely.—ns. Recip′rocalness; Recip′rocant (math.), a contravariant expressing a certain condition of tangency: a differential invariant.—adj. Recip′rocantive, relating to a reciprocant.—v.t. Recip′rocāte, to give and receive mutually: to requite: to interchange: to alternate.—v.i. to move backward and forward: (coll.) to make a return or response.—ns. Recip′rocating-en′gine, an engine in which the piston moves forward and backward in a straight line; Reciprocā′tion, interchange of acts: alternation.—adj. Recip′rocātive, acting reciprocally.—n. Reciproc′ity, mutual obligations: action and reaction: equality of commercial privileges.—adjs. Rec′iprock, Rec′iproque (Bacon), reciprocal; Recip′rocous (rare), turning back: reciprocal.—Reciprocal proportion is when, of four terms taken in order, the first has to the second the same ratio which the fourth has to the third; Reciprocal ratio, the ratio of the reciprocals of two quantities; Reciprocal terms, those that have the same signification and consequently are convertible; Reciprocating motion, by this the power is transmitted from one part of a machine to another. [L. reciprocus.]