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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Inverse \In*verse"\, a. [L. inversus, p. p. of invertere: cf. F.
inverse. See {Invert}.]
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1. Opposite in order, relation, or effect; reversed;
inverted; reciprocal; -- opposed to {direct}.
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2. (Bot.) Inverted; having a position or mode of attachment
the reverse of that which is usual.
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3. (Math.) Opposite in nature and effect; -- said with
reference to any two operations, which, when both are
performed in succession upon any quantity, reproduce that
quantity; as, multiplication is the inverse operation to
division. The symbol of an inverse operation is the symbol
of the direct operation with -1 as an index. Thus sin-1 x
means the arc or angle whose sine is x.
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{Inverse figures} (Geom.), two figures, such that each point
of either figure is inverse to a corresponding point in
the order figure.

{Inverse points} (Geom.), two points lying on a line drawn
from the center of a fixed circle or sphere, and so
related that the product of their distances from the
center of the circle or sphere is equal to the square of
the radius.

{Inverse ratio}, or {Reciprocal ratio} (Math.), the ratio of
the reciprocals of two quantities.

{Inverse proportion}, or {Reciprocal proportion}, an equality
between a direct ratio and a reciprocal ratio; thus, 4 : 2
: : 1/3 : 1/6, or 4 : 2 : : 3 : 6, inversely.
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Inverse \In"verse\, n.
That which is inverse.
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Thus the course of human study is the inverse of the
course of things in nature. --Tatham.
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