representative

American  

[rep-ri-zen-tuh-tiv] / ˌrɛp rɪˈzɛn tə tɪv /

noun

• representatives
  plural

1. a person or thing that represents another or others.

2. an agent or deputy.

   a legal representative.

3. a person who represents a constituency or community in a legislative body, especially a member of the U.S. House of Representatives or a lower house in certain state legislatures.

4. a typical example or specimen of a group, quality, or kind.

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adjective

1. serving to represent; representing.

   Synonyms:

   characteristic, typical, exemplary, symbolic

2. standing or acting for another or others.

3. made up of representatives.

   a representative assembly.

4. Government. of or relating to a system of governance by chosen representatives, usually elected from among a large group, as in

5. exemplifying a group or kind; typical.

   a representative selection of Elizabethan plays.

6. corresponding to or replacing some other species or the like, as in a different locality.

7. of, relating to, or characteristic of representationalism.

8. pertaining to or of the nature of a mental image or representation.

representative British  

/ ˌrɛprɪˈzɛntətɪv /

noun

1. a person or thing that represents another or others

2. Often shortened to: rep.  a person who represents and tries to sell the products or services of a firm, esp a travelling salesman

3. a typical example

4. a person representing a constituency in a deliberative, legislative, or executive body, esp ( capital ) a member of the House of Representatives (the lower house of Congress) See also House of Representatives

5. a rugby player, football player, etc, chosen to represent a province in interprovincial sports

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adjective

1. serving to represent; symbolic

2. 1. exemplifying a class or kind; typical

      a representative example of the species

   2. containing or including examples of all the interests, types, etc, in a group

      a representative collection

3. acting as deputy or proxy for another or others

4. acting for or representing a constituency or the whole people in the process of government

   a representative council

5. of, characterized by, or relating to the political principle of representation of the people

   representative government

6. of or relating to a mental picture or representation

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrepresentative
  noun
• nonrepresentativeness
  noun
• overrepresentativeness
  noun
• representativeness
  noun
• unrepresentativeness
  noun
• overrepresentative
  adjective
• unrepresentative
  adjective
• nonrepresentatively
  adverb
• overrepresentatively
  adverb
• representatively
  adverb
• unrepresentatively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• representatives
  plural

Etymology

Origin of representative

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (adjective), from Medieval Latin repraesentātīvus, from repraesentāt(us) “made present” ( see representation) + -īvus -ive

Explanation

If you're representative of some group, you're typical, you’re a lot like most of the others. You might also be a representative for your group; you were elected to act on behalf of those you represent. The U.S. and many other democracies have representative governments, in which voters elect people to act on their behalf — to represent them. In the U.S., the House of Representatives is the largest legislative body. Its members — congressmen and congresswomen — are elected by the voters of their districts. These representatives are supposed to listen to the views of the people from their districts and act in their best interests.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

representative representatives

Request a representative to serve as successor trustee of your existing trust.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026

Whether you’re a young politician looking to avoid alienating your peers, or a senior representative not looking to upset the apple cart, there’s little incentive to squabble over the way things have always been done.

From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026

“This is brilliant,” said Joe Sever, 36, a medical sales representative who brought his son and twin daughters, who were wearing matching denim jackets with their names bedazzled on the backs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

A representative for the cemeteries did not immediately respond to comment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026

She accepted as a representative of the Daughters of Temperance, the women’s affiliate group.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Such is the predicament of running Germany’s premier industrial company, where half the supervisory-board directors are worker representatives and swing votes are held by the local government.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

Jake’s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

A Treasury spokesperson said it planned to welcome nearly 300 media representatives from around a dozen countries.

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

Among those handed prison sentences were Moreno's wife, daughter and brother, as well as former plant managers, Sinohydro representatives and a Chinese ambassador to Ecuador.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

North Vietnam demanded that the government of South Vietnam be replaced by one that included representatives of the Viet Cong.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• agent
• commissioner
• counselor
• delegate
• deputy
• lawyer
• legislator
• member
• senator