ˌäpəˈzishən noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English opposicioun, from Medieval Latin opposition-, oppositio, from Latin, act of opposing, from oppositus (past participle of opponere to place against) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at oppose
1. : a configuration in which one celestial body is opposite another in the sky or in which the elongation is near or equal to 180 degrees — see configuration
2.
a.
(1) obsolete : a setting of one rhetorical proposition against another : a counter proposition
(2) : the relation that occurs between two propositions in logic having the same subject and predicate but differing in quantity, in quality, or in both and that is usually considered to occur in the four forms of contrariety, subcontrariety, subalternation, the contradiction
b. obsolete : opposite , contrary , contrast
3. : an act of setting opposite or over against or the condition of being so set
4.
a. : hostile or contrary action or condition : action designed to constitute a barrier or check
offered strong opposition to the advance of the enemy
a child's automatic opposition to maturity
held up a hand in opposition to oncoming traffic
b. : a position of the king in chess preventing the advance of the enemy king either directly or obliquely
c. : a position of one's blade when crossed with that of one's opponent such that the latter cannot hit in the line of engagement
d.
(1) : refusal of a creditor to assent to the debtor's discharge in a bankruptcy proceeding
(2) : a formal action for preventing the registration of a trademark
5.
a. : something that opposes ; specifically : the aggregate of those in opposition to a particular thing (as a political policy or party)
b. often capitalized : a political party that actively opposes the party in power and is prepared to replace it if opportunity offers
Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition
last election saw considerable strengthening of the opposition
6. : movement of diagonally opposite limbs (as in various complex reflexes and some dance patterns)
7. : the relationship of partial difference between two partially similar elements of a language (as oral versus nasal with b and m or singular versus plural with man's and men's )