relation

American  

[ri-lay-shuhn] / rɪˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

• relations
  plural

1. an existing connection; a significant association between or among things.

   the relation between cause and effect.

   Synonyms:

   link, tie, relationship

   Antonyms:

   independence

2. relations,

   1. the various connections between peoples, countries, etc..

      foreign relations.

   2. the various connections in which persons are brought together.

      business and social relations.

   3. sexual intercourse.

3. the mode or kind of connection between one person and another, between an individual and God, etc.

4. connection between persons by blood or marriage.

   Synonyms:

   kinship, relationship

5. a person who is related by blood or marriage; relative.

   his wife's relations.

6. the act of relating, narrating, or telling; narration.

   Synonyms:

   description, recital, recitation

7. Law. a principle whereby effect is given to an act done at one time as if it had been done at a previous time.

8. Mathematics.

   1. a property that associates two quantities in a definite order, as equality or inequality.

   2. a single- or multiple-valued function.

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idioms

1. in / with relation to, with reference to; concerning.

   It's best to plan with relation to anticipated changes in one's earnings.

relation British  

/ rɪˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. the state or condition of being related or the manner in which things are related

2. connection by blood or marriage; kinship

3. a person who is connected by blood or marriage; relative; kinsman

4. reference or regard (esp in the phrase in or with relation to )

5. the position, association, connection, or status of one person or thing with regard to another or others

6. the act of relating or narrating

7. an account or narrative

8. law the principle by which an act done at one time is regarded in law as having been done antecedently

9. law the statement of grounds of complaint made by a relator

10. logic maths

    1. an association between ordered pairs of objects, numbers, etc, such as … is greater than …

    2. the set of ordered pairs whose members have such an association

11. philosophy

    1. a relation that necessarily holds between its relata, as 4 is greater than 2

    2. a relation that does not so hold

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relation More Idioms  

1. see poor relation; relative (in relation) to.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrelation
  noun
• prerelation
  noun
• subrelation
  noun
• relationless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• relations
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of relation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English relacion, from Latin relātiōn-, stem of relātiō “a carrying back, narration, repayment”; equivalent to relate + -ion

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Explanation

Relation is a word that can describe a connection — between relatives or any two entities. You might consider your cousin as your relation, and you might have strained relations with him over your grandmother's estate. The way that one thing affects another is their relation like the relation between childhood poverty and poor nutrition, for example. You can also call your relative a relation, as when you describe your great-grandfather as your oldest living relation. The phrase no relation means that even though two people share the same last name, they are not related — or aren't relations.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

relation relations

Safeguarding interventions have also been made in relation to three children, the force said.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

The jury found that she had done the acts in relation to all five charges – including four counts of aiding and abetting her husband's offending.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Seven men have been taken in for questioning in relation to the incident and subsequently released on bail.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

The education ministry said eight members of teaching staff were injured on Monday, mostly in the Paris region and cities of Bordeaux and Lyon, in relation to the protests.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

“Look at this, it’s an Abbott, could be some long-lost relation of Hannah’s!”

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

Mistakes had been made, especially in public relations, he told them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

Singapore's investigations into four Indonesian companies over their alleged role in the 2015 haze crisis remain open, a case that strained relations with Jakarta at the time.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Turkey's relations with Israel have collapsed over Gaza, but Azerbaijan has tried to maintain relationships with both countries.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

It might answer some questions you’ll have during “VisionQuest,” but the dramatic intentions and character relations are plain enough.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

Old Master Gorbadoc never had fewer than a couple of hundred relations in the place.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

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Related Words

• relationship

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