relative

[ rel-uh-tiv ]

/ ˈrɛl ə tɪv /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR relative ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who is connected with another or others by blood or marriage.

something having, or standing in, some relation or connection to something else.

something dependent upon external conditions for its specific nature, size, etc. (opposed to absolute).

Grammar. a relative pronoun, adjective, or adverb.

adjective

considered in relation to something else; comparative: the relative merits of democracy and monarchy.

existing or having its specific nature only by relation to something else; not absolute or independent: Happiness is relative.

having relation or connection.

having reference or regard; relevant; pertinent (usually followed by to): to determine the facts relative to an accident.

correspondent; proportionate: Value is relative to demand.

(of a term, name, etc.) depending for significance upon something else: “Better” is a relative term.

Grammar.

noting or pertaining to a word that introduces a subordinate clause of which it is, or is a part of, the subject or predicate and that refers to an expressed or implied element of the principal clause (the antecedent), as the relative pronoun who in He's the man who saw you or the relative adverb where in This is the house where she was born.
noting or pertaining to a relative clause.

Origin of relative

1350–1400; Middle English relatif (noun) (< Middle French) < Late Latin relātīvus (adj.); see relate, -ive

usage note for relative

11. See who.

OTHER WORDS FROM relative

non·rel·a·tive, noun, adjective non·rel·a·tive·ly, adverb non·rel·a·tive·ness, noun un·rel·a·tive, adjective

un·rel·a·tive·ly, adverb

Words nearby relative

relational, relational database, relations, relationship, relationship marketing, relative, relative accommodation, relative aperture, relative atomic mass, relative bearing, relative clause

Example sentences from the Web for relative

But relative to centuries past, America is a marvel of domestic tranquility.

No Gods, No Cops, No Masters |James Poulos |January 1, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
Parents who want to transfer custody of a child to someone other than a relative must seek permission from a judge.

Judge: Rehoming Kids Is Trafficking |Tina Traster |December 30, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
While traveling this holiday season, a relative and I were pulled over by a police officer.

Obama Is Right on Race. The Media Is Wrong. |Keli Goff |December 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Of course, this is The Comeback, and so "success" is a relative word.

‘The Comeback’ Finale: Give Lisa Kudrow All of the Awards |Kevin Fallon |December 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

One chemical test involves measuring the relative amount of deuterium in water.

Are Comets the Origin of Earth’s Oceans? |Matthew R. Francis |December 14, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Wherever there is a relative, there is a second proposition.

A Handbook of the English Language |Robert Gordon Latham
Annabel loved to drag my poor master in flowery chains before his relative.

Lazarre |Mary Hartwell Catherwood
Here we have the personal and relative side of a consecrated life of service.

The Shepherd Psalm |William Evans
A missionary can't take time traipsin' round the country every time a relative gets a little down.

The Man of the Desert |Grace Livingston Hill
I have a Relative who can spin you the story of anybody's life if you only tell him what number of shoe he wears.

Sweethearts at Home |S. R. Crockett

British Dictionary definitions for relative

relative

/ (ˈrɛlətɪv) /

adjective

having meaning or significance only in relation to something else; not absolute a relative value

(prenominal) (of a scientific quantity) being measured or stated relative to some other substance or measurement relative humidity; relative density Compare absolute (def. 10)

(prenominal) comparative or respective the relative qualities of speed and accuracy

(postpositive foll by to) in proportion (to); corresponding (to) earnings relative to production

having reference (to); pertinent (to) matters not relative to the topic under discussion

grammar denoting or belonging to a class of words that function as subordinating conjunctions in introducing relative clauses. In English, relative pronouns and determiners include who, which, and that Compare demonstrative (def. 5), interrogative (def. 3)

grammar denoting or relating to a clause (relative clause) that modifies a noun or pronoun occurring earlier in the sentence

(of a musical key or scale) having the same key signature as another key or scale C major is the relative major of A minor

noun

a person who is related by blood or marriage; relation

a relative pronoun, clause, or grammatical construction

Derived forms of relative

relativeness, noun

Word Origin for relative

C16: from Late Latin relātīvus referring

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

relative

noun

adjective

Origin of relative

usage note for relative

OTHER WORDS FROM relative

Words nearby relative

Example sentences from the Web for relative

British Dictionary definitions for relative

adjective

noun

Derived forms of relative

Word Origin for relative

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

relative

noun

adjective

Origin of relative

usage note for relative

OTHER WORDS FROM relative

Words nearby relative

Words related to relative

Example sentences from the Web for relative

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for relative

adjective

noun

Derived forms of relative

Word Origin for relative

British Dictionary definitions for relative