dual
dual Lexical Profile
dual Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Consisting of two parts, elements, or aspects; having a double character or nature.
"She holds dual citizenship in both Canada and the United Kingdom."
In grammar, denoting an inflectional number found in certain languages (such as Ancient Greek, Sanskrit, and Arabic) that specifically indicates two persons or things, as distinct from singular and plural.
"Classical Arabic preserves the dual form in nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adjectives."
• noun
In grammar, the dual number, or a word form inflected to indicate exactly two persons or things.
"Old English retained the dual in its first- and second-person personal pronouns."
In mathematics and logic, a theorem, expression, or geometric figure formed from another by interchanging corresponding pairs of concepts or operations (such as points and lines in projective geometry, or union and intersection in set theory).
"In projective geometry, the dual of a theorem about collinear points is a theorem about concurrent lines."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'dual' (consisting of two parts or roles) with its homophone 'duel' (a formal contest or fight between two people). As an adjective meaning 'twofold,' 'dual' is used exclusively in the attributive position before a noun (e.g., 'dual citizenship').
• Rhymes for dual
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed around 1600 from Latin dualis ('of or pertaining to two'), derived from duo ('two'). It originally entered English as a grammatical term for the inflectional number denoting two, before broadening to mean 'twofold' by the mid-17th century.