relative

[rel-uh-tiv]

noun

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

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

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

4. Grammar.,  a relative pronoun, adjective, or adverb.

adjective

1. considered in relation to something else; comparative.

   the relative merits of democracy and monarchy.

2. existing or having its specific nature only by relation to something else; not absolute or independent.

   Happiness is relative.

3. having relation or connection.

4. having reference or regard; relevant; pertinent (usually followed byto ).

   to determine the facts relative to an accident.

5. correspondent; proportionate.

   Value is relative to demand.

6. (of a term, name, etc.) depending for significance upon something else.

   “Better” is a relative term.

7. Grammar.

   1. 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.

   2. noting or pertaining to a relative clause.

relative

/ ˈrɛlətɪv /

adjective

1. having meaning or significance only in relation to something else; not absolute

   a relative value

2. (prenominal) (of a scientific quantity) being measured or stated relative to some other substance or measurement Compare absolute

   relative humidity

   relative density

3. (prenominal) comparative or respective

   the relative qualities of speed and accuracy

4. in proportion (to); corresponding (to)

   earnings relative to production

5. having reference (to); pertinent (to)

   matters not relative to the topic under discussion

6. 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 interrogative

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

8. (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

1. a person who is related by blood or marriage; relation

2. a relative pronoun, clause, or grammatical construction

Other Word Forms

• nonrelative noun
• nonrelatively adverb
• nonrelativeness noun
• unrelative adjective
• unrelatively adverb
• relativeness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of relative¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English relatif (noun), either from Middle French or from Late Latin relātīvus (adjective); relate, -ive

Word History and Origins

Origin of relative¹

C16: from Late Latin relātīvus referring

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. it’s all relative. it's all relative.

Example Sentences

Like other families the BBC has spoken to whose relatives were killed or kidnapped that day, Ms Nimrodi said life had been frozen for two years.

From BBC

Last month Patterson, 51, was jailed for life with no chance of release for at least 33 years, for murdering three relatives and trying to kill another with a toxic mushroom meal.

From BBC

To be awarded posthumously, a relative must attend Buckingham Palace, where the King or another royal presents the medal in person.

From BBC

Sitting on a bright orange chinchorro at her home on the outskirts of Riohacha, she explains she leads a group of eight relatives from the rural community where her family is from.

From BBC

Mark Goldstone said his relative had been due to help at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue at 09:30 BST on Thursday but had been persuaded to cover a later shift by his wife.

From BBC

Related Words

• aunt 
• cousin 
• father 
• folk 
• mother 
• niece 
• sibling 
• uncle