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Glite Dictionary
💻 Accepts supertypes 🔄 Reverses mappings ↔️ Changes oppositely
contravariant

contravariant

9.9
Changes in the opposite way to another quantity when coordinates change
  • adjective
  • /ˌkɒntrəˈveɪərənt/
  • Specialized
: contravariante
  • When switching to a different coordinate grid, the contravariant components of the vector display opposite adjustments.

Examples

  • We are dealing with two arbitrary contravariant vectors, Phi and v, and a contravariant vector t.

    Academic text (1999)

  • So how do the covariant contravariant components change when I change coordinates?

  • If you want to add V&W, add contravariant components or covariant components.

  • We are dealing with two arbitrary contravariant vectors, Phi and v, and a contravariant vector t.

    Academic text (1999)

  • The contravariant behavior of the quantities became evident when the coordinate system was rotated.

  • In physics, we often analyze how contravariant vectors transform under changes in reference frames.

Surface Forms

contravariant positive

Morphology

contravariant = variant (semi-transparent) = contra + variant

The morphological composition 'contra-' + 'variant' indicates opposing or inverse variation, but the precise sense referring to coordinate/basis behaviour is technical and not directly inferable by average learners.

Etymology

Contravariant comes from contra- 'against' and variant (like English vary) 'change', so it literally means 'changing against' something. That's why a contravariant vector or object changes in the opposite way when you change the coordinate system.