obversely
1
9.9
- adverb
- /əˈvɜrslɪ/
- Specialized
- He approached the problem obversely, starting from the conclusion and working backward.
Examples
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Think obversely!
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In logic, statements can sometimes be analyzed obversely to reveal hidden relationships.
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The theorem can be proved obversely by considering the opposite case.
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The theorem can be applied obversely to derive new conclusions.
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The two statements are obversely related, meaning that if one is true, the other must be false.
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When analyzing the problem, we should consider its implications obversely, as this can reveal hidden assumptions.
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In logic, you can demonstrate a theory obversely to highlight its contradictions.
Synonyms
1
8.2
Toward the front of the body or a body part
Surface Forms
Morphology
obversely = obverse (transparent) = obverse + ly
Formed by the productive addition of '-ly' to the adjective 'obverse'; the adverbial meaning is directly derived from the adjective.
Etymology
Obversely comes from the word obverse, made of ob- 'toward' and verse 'turn', like in reverse. A helpful way to remember is that to think obversely is to 'turn' the argument and start from the other side or the conclusion, which is why it means reasoning that works backward or from an opposite view.