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I'm looking for a term describing something that highlights what it is not in a dual relationship.

So if you have some kind of dualism, what is the name for the role that one half plays in relation to the other half? I want to say somehow that the one half highlights the other half (as a noun).

For instance, if there is a canvas where half is blue and half is yellow, and the yellow being there serves to bring out the blue, would there be a term for the yellow's role in that canvas? In a sentence along the lines of "We might think that the yellow is uninteresting in this canvas, but really, it is the X that brings out the blue." Is there a term for the X in a dualistic sense?

I've thought of the phrase "yin to x's yang", but I'm sure there must be a single name (like "catalyst", but obviously catalyst is not at all the right word).

Thanks!

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Backdrop

The attack was all the more unexpected after so many decades of peace.

Contrast

His nasty attitude was a marked contrast to the gentle demeanour of his easy-going predecessor.

Counterpart

The spicy meal was a perfect counterpart to an otherwise bland day.

Foil (for a person)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foil_(fiction)
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  • Foil - exactly what I wanted, thank you!
    – Nworb
    Commented Oct 31, 2020 at 19:15

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