Antipode

/ˈæntɪpoʊd/ noun

Definition

A place or person on the opposite side of the Earth, or something that is completely opposite or contrary to something else.

Etymology

From Greek 'anti-' (opposite) and 'pous' (foot), literally meaning 'opposite-footed.' The term originally referred to people living on the opposite side of the globe, then expanded to mean any direct opposite or contrary thing.

Kelly Says

Medieval Europeans were fascinated and sometimes horrified by the concept of antipodes—they imagined people standing upside-down on the other side of the world, which helped them grapple with the idea of a spherical Earth long before circumnavigation proved it!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.