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Figure 4.11 Adding Some Object Properties 
 
4.7 Inverse Properties  
Each object property may have a corresponding inverse property. If some property links individual a to 
individual b then its inverse property will link individual b to individual a. For example, in figure 3.3 the 
individual Michael hasPet Buddy. In this example hasPet is an object property that maps from a 
Person to their Pet which are known as the domain and range of the property. Michael is an instance 
of the Person class and Buddy is an instance of the Pet class. The hasPet property points from a 
Person to that person’s Pet. The inverse property could be isPetOf which would be represented by a 
link between the two individuals going the other way, from Buddy to Michael. Whenever possible it is 
desirable to adhere to this type of naming standard with properties. Properties going in one direction as 
hasProperty and their inverses as isPropertyOf.  
Exercise 10: Create some inverse properties 
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1. Use the Object  properties tab to create a new object property called isIngredientOf (this will be 
the inverse property of hasIngredient). Make sure that isIngredientOf is a sibling property if 
hasIngredient and a sub-property of owl:topObjectProperty. 
2. Click on the Add icon (+) next to Inverse Of in the Description view for hasIngredient. You will 
be presented with a window that shows a nested view of all the current properties. Select hasIngredient to 
make it the inverse of isIngredientOf.