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Webster 1913 Edition


Mutual

Mu′tu-al

,
Adj.
[F.
mutuel
, L.
mutuus
, orig., exchanged, borrowed, lent; akin to
mutare
to change. See
Mutable
.]
1.
Reciprocally acting or related; reciprocally receiving and giving; reciprocally given and received; reciprocal; interchanged;
as, a
mutual
love, advantage, assistance, aversion, etc.
Conspiracy and
mutual
promise.
Sir T. More.
Happy in our
mutual
help,
And
mutual
love.
Milton.
A certain shyness on such subjects, which was
mutual
between the sisters.
G. Eliot.
2.
Possessed, experienced, or done by two or more persons or things at the same time; common; joint;
as,
mutual
happiness; a
mutual
effort.
Burke.
A vast accession of misery and woe from the
mutual
weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
Bentley.
☞ This use of mutual as synonymous with common is inconsistent with the idea of interchange, or reciprocal relation, which properly belongs to it; but the word has been so used by many writers of high authority. The present tendency is toward a careful discrimination.
Mutual
, as Johnson will tell us, means something reciprocal, a giving and taking. How could people have
mutual
ancestors?
P. Harrison.
Mutual insurance
,
agreement among a number of persons to insure each other against loss, as by fire, death, or accident.
Mutual insurance company
,
one which does a business of insurance on the mutual principle, the policy holders sharing losses and profits pro rata.
Syn. – Reciprocal; interchanged; common.

Webster 1828 Edition


Mutual

MU'TUAL

,
Adj.
[L. mutuus, from muto, to change.]
Reciprocal; interchanged , each acting in return or correspondence to the other; given and received. Mutual love is that which is entertained by two persons each for the other; mutual advantage is that which is conferred by one person or another,and received by him in return. So we say, mutual assistance, mutual aversion.
And, what should most excite a mutual flame,
Your rural cares and pleasures are the same.

Definition 2024


mutual

mutual

English

Alternative forms

Adjective

mutual (comparative more mutual, superlative most mutual)

  1. Having the same relationship, each to each other.
    They were mutual enemies.
  2. Collective, done or held in common.
    Mutual insurance.
  3. Reciprocal.
    They had mutual fear of each other.
  4. Possessed in common.
    They had a mutual love of the same woman.
  5. (Relating to a company, insurance or financial institution) Owned by the members.

Translations

Noun

mutual (plural mutuals)

  1. A mutual fund.
  2. A mutual organization.

Translations

Anagrams


Spanish

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -al

Adjective

mutual m, f (plural mutuales)

  1. mutual

Synonyms