obverse

Sep. 18th, 2018 07:47 am
prettygoodword: text: words are sexy (Default)
[personal profile] prettygoodword
obverse (n. OB-vurs; adj. ob-VURS, OB-vurs) - n., the front or principle side of a coin, medal, etc.; the more conspicuous of two possible alternatives. adj., facing or turned toward the observer; serving as a counterpart.


As opposed to the reverse of the coin, medal, etc. This US$1 coin has the head of Susan B. Anthony on the obverse:

A dollar coin
Thanks, WikiMedia!

(Yes, that's an eagle flying over the moon. Your point?) First used in English (in both forms) in the 1650s, from Latin obversus, turned toward/against, past participle of obvertere, from ob-, toward/over/against + vertere, to turn.

---L.

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