Definition of: opposition

(op′ə·zish′ən) noun
1. The act of opposing or resisting; antagonism.
2. The state of being opposite or opposed; antithesis; also, a position confronting another or a placing in contrast.
3. That which is or furnishes an obstacle to some result: The stream flows without opposition.
4. Often cap. The political party opposed to the ministry or administration in power.
5. Astron. a The relative position of two heavenly bodies 180° apart in geometric longitude. b The position of a body opposite to the sun designated by the symbol ; as, , opposition of Mars to the sun.
6. Ling. A state of contrast between any one phoneme and all the other phonemes in a language, as, /p/ is said to be in bilateral opposition to /b/ on the basis of the distinctive feature of voice, and in multilateral opposition to /d/ on the basis of the distinctive features of voice and place of articulation.
7. Logic The relation between two propositions which have the same subject and predicate but differ in quantity or quality or in both. See synonyms under AMBITION, ANTIPATHY, COLLISION, COMPETITION, EMULATION.
—in opposition In the position of being opposed or hostile to a political party or measure: The Democratic party is in opposition. [<OF <L oppositio, -onis <oppositus. See OPPOSITE.]
—op′po·si′tion·al adjective
—op′po·si′tion·ist noun
—op′po·si′tion·less adjective