English Explanatory Dictionary

relative

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Connected to or depending on something else; comparative.
  2. Expressed in relation to another item, rather than in complete form.
  3. Depending on an antecedent; comparative.
  4. Having the same key but differing in being major or minor.
  5. Relevant; pertinent; related.
  6. Capable to be changed by other beings or circumstance; conditional.
adv
  1. Alternative form of relatively.
noun
  1. Someone connected by blood, marriage, or adoption; someone in the same family.
  2. Something kindred or related to something else.
  3. A type of adjective that inflects like a relative clause, rather than a true adjective, in certain Bantu languages.

Pronunciation

rel'ətiv /ˈɹɛl.ə.tɪv/ en-us-relative.ogg En-US relative (flapping).ogg /rɪˈle.ʈɪʋ/

Word forms

relative rel. relatives

Etymology

From Middle French relatif, from Late Latin relātīvus, from Latin relātus, perfect passive participle of referō (“to carry back, to ascribe”), from re- (“again”) + ferō (“to bear or carry”). By surface analysis, relate + -ive.

Synonyms

comparative conditional limited relative relation sib cousin

Antonyms

absolute unlimited

Related words

correlative irrelative refer -al -ship relativist relativistic relativization relativize relate relation relativism relativity near relative referral relationship aunt brother cousin father godparent grandchild granddaughter grandson great-grandchild great-grandparent in-law mother nephew niece parent sister stepdaughter stepson uncle related grand- step- :Category:Family

Derived words

aliorelative blood relative ethnorelative first-degree relative it's all relative linear relative non-relative oreille relative relatival relative address relative adjective relative adverb relative atomic mass relative bearing relative bearing grease relative clause relative complement r. pseudo-comp. relative dating relative density relative error relative frequency relative humidity relative-in-law relative key relatively relative majority relativeness relative permittivity relative pin relative pitch relative pressure relative pronoun relative skewer relative superlative relative tense relative topology second-degree relative storm-relative helicity third-degree relative transrelative unrelative rellie relo steprelative step-relative
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