comparison

[kuhm-par-uh-suhn]

noun

1. the act of comparing.

2. the state of being compared.

3. a likening; illustration by similitude; comparative estimate or statement.

4. Rhetoric.,  the considering of two things with regard to some characteristic that is common to both, as the likening of a hero to a lion in courage.

5. capability of being compared or likened.

   Synonyms: similarity, resemblance, likeness

6. Grammar.

   1. the function of an adverb or adjective that is used to indicate degrees of superiority or inferiority in quality, quantity, or intensity.

   2. the patterns of formation involved therein.

   3. the degrees of a particular word, displayed in a fixed order, as mild, milder, mildest, less mild, least mild.

comparison

/ kəmˈpærɪsən /

noun

1. the act or process of comparing

2. the state of being compared

3. comparable quality or qualities; likeness

   there was no comparison between them

4. a rhetorical device involving comparison, such as a simile

5. Also called: degrees of comparison. grammar the listing of the positive, comparative, and superlative forms of an adjective or adverb

6. to be sufficiently similar in class or range to be compared with (something else), esp favourably

Other Word Forms

• intercomparison noun
• precomparison noun
• recomparison noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of comparison¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English comparesoun, from Old French comparaison, from Latin comparātiōn-, stem of comparātiō, from comparāt(us) “placed together” (past participle of comparāre “to place together, match”; compare ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

She says there’s no comparison to the violence and chaos of that time to what’s going on in Chicago.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

By comparison, a planet with one percent carbon dioxide would remain habitable for about 3.1 billion years.

Read more on Science Daily

Economic comparisons, even after data reporting returns, will be askew until normalization sets back in.

Read more on MarketWatch

In comparison, the S&P 500’s weighted forward price/earnings ratio is 23.

Read more on MarketWatch

The Clearing, which topped the UK album chart in August, marks their boldest evolution yet - embracing the nostalgic sounds of 1970s FM pop radio, earning comparisons to The Carpenters, Fleetwood Mac and Steely Dan.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• analogy 
• connection 
• contrast 
• correlation 
• example 
• identification 
• juxtaposition 
• observation 
• ratio 
• relation 
• resemblance 
• similarity 
• testing www.thesaurus.com