representation

[ rep-ri-zen-tey-shuhn, -zuhn- ]

noun

1. the act of representing.
2. the state of being represented.
3. the expression or designation by some term, character, symbol, or the like.
4. action or speech on behalf of a person, group, business house, state, or the like by an agent, deputy, or representative.
5. the state or fact of being so represented:

   to demand representation on a board of directors.

6. Government. the state, fact, or right of being represented by delegates having a voice in legislation or government.
7. the body or number of representatives, as of a constituency.
8. Diplomacy.
   1. the act of speaking or negotiating on behalf of a state.
   2. an utterance on behalf of a state.
9. presentation to the mind, as of an idea or image.
10. a mental image or idea so presented; concept.
11. the act of portrayal, picturing, or other rendering in visible form.
12. a picture, figure, statue, etc.
13. the production or a performance of a play or the like, as on the stage.
14. Often representations. a description or statement, as of things true or alleged.
15. a statement of facts, reasons, etc., made in appealing or protesting; a protest or remonstrance.
16. Law. an implication or statement of fact to which legal liability may attach if material:

    a representation of authority.

representation

/ ˌrɛprɪzɛnˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of representing or the state of being represented
2. anything that represents, such as a verbal or pictorial portrait
3. anything that is represented, such as an image brought clearly to mind
4. the principle by which delegates act for a constituency
5. a body of representatives
6. contract law a statement of fact made by one party to induce another to enter into a contract
7. an instance of acting for another, on his authority, in a particular capacity, such as executor or administrator
8. a dramatic production or performance
9. often plural a statement of facts, true or alleged, esp one set forth by way of remonstrance or expostulation
10. linguistics an analysis of a word, sentence, etc, into its constituents

    phonetic representation

Other Words From

• nonrep·re·sen·tation noun
• over·repre·sen·tation noun
• prerep·re·sen·tation noun
• self-repre·sen·tation noun
• under·repre·sen·tation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of representation¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English representacion, from Latin repraesentātiōn-, stem of repraesentātiō, from repraesentāt(us) “made present” (past participle of repraesentāre “to bring about immediately, make present”; represent ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

It was a metaphorical statement of giving and withdrawing consent for a show rooted in a literal representation of Coel being assaulted.

From Ozy

The mathematically manipulated results are passed on and augmented through the stages, finally producing an integrated representation of a face.

From Nautilus

I hope this list—a representation of the most consequential changes taking places in our world—is similarly useful for you.

From Quartz

“Given the moment we are in, I can only hope our institutions really understand what this failure of representation means to our city,” he said.

From Voice of San Diego

The voters don’t want to have an elected city attorney on the, and representation said, that’s fine.

From Voice of San Diego

With all that said, representation of each of these respective communities has increased in the new Congress.

From The Daily Beast

As this excellent piece in Mother Jones describes, however, Holsey had outrageously poor representation during his trial.

From The Daily Beast

During that time days, Livvix went through court hearings without legal representation.

From The Daily Beast

What do you think prompted the change in comic book representation of LGBTQ characters?

From The Daily Beast

Barbie is an unrealistic, unhealthy, insulting representation of female appearance.

From The Daily Beast

With less intelligent children traces of this tendency to take pictorial representation for reality may appear as late as four.

From Project Gutenberg

As observation widens and grows finer, the first bald representation becomes fuller and more life-like.

From Project Gutenberg

The child now aims at constructing a particular linear representation, that of a man, a horse, or what not.

From Project Gutenberg

He had heard it hinted that allowing the colonies representation in Parliament would be a simple plan for making taxes legal.

From Project Gutenberg

But sufficient can be discerned for the grasping of the idea, which seems to be a representation of the Nativity.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• depiction
• image
• portrayal