relation

[ ri-ley-shuhn ]

/ rɪˈleɪ ʃən /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR relation ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an existing connection; a significant association between or among things: the relation between cause and effect.

relations,

the various connections between peoples, countries, etc.: foreign relations.
the various connections in which persons are brought together: business and social relations.
sexual intercourse.

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

connection between persons by blood or marriage.

a person who is related by blood or marriage; relative: his wife's relations.

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

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

Mathematics.

a property that associates two quantities in a definite order, as equality or inequality.
a single- or multiple-valued function.

Nearby words

relapsing polychondritis, relata, relate, related, relatedly, relation, relational, relational database, relations, relationship, relationship marketing

Idioms

in/with relation to, with reference to; concerning: It's best to plan with relation to anticipated changes in one's earnings.

Origin of relation

1350–1400; Middle English relacion < Latin relātiōn- (stem of relātiō). See relate, -ion

SYNONYMS FOR relation

1 relationship; tie, link.

2a association.

4 relationship, kinship.

6 recitation, recital, description.

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ANTONYMS FOR relation

1 independence.

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Related forms

re·la·tion·less, adjectivenon·re·la·tion, nounpre·re·la·tion, nounsub·re·la·tion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for relation

Kim Kardashian Breaks the InternetTalking about butts in relation to Kim Kardashian had become tired.
Year of the Butt: How the Booty Changed the World in 2014|Kevin Fallon|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was now almost impossible to speak of individual divisions in relation to these actions, but only of corps.
Blood in the Sand: When James Jones Wrote a Grunt’s View of D-Day|James Jones|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Our ability to feel seen is truly dependent on being in relation to someone else.
Why You’re Happily Married and Having an Affair|Ryan Selzer|November 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Tom Davis (no relation to Wendy) is very clear in his perspective on this.
A Christian Case for Abortion Rights?|Keli Goff|September 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Dr. Greenberg also indicates that the frequency of splurges can change depending on where you are in relation to your goal.
When Is It OK to Cheat? The Pros and Cons of Cheat Days|DailyBurn|July 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then suppose A raises offspring in the usual way from eggs, what relation are these young to B?
The Catholic World. Volume III; Numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.|E. Rameur
Between tea and coffee, or beef and mutton there is a relation of a different kind.
Supply and Demand|Hubert D. Henderson
The record of England in relation to Ireland, is one of the most atrocious known to the history of mankind.
Ridgeway|Scian Dubh
All our knowledge of things is knowing them in their relation to the Universe, in that relation which is truth.
Creative Unity|Rabindranath Tagore
But unhappily the present advanced stage of social organisation has considerably impaired the relation.
The Hindoos as they Are|Shib Chunder Bose

British Dictionary definitions for relation

relation

/ (rɪˈleɪʃən) /

noun

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

connection by blood or marriage; kinship

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

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

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

the act of relating or narrating

an account or narrative

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

law the statement of grounds of complaint made by a relator

logic maths

an association between ordered pairs of objects, numbers, etc, such as … is greater than …
the set of ordered pairs whose members have such an association

philosophy

internal relation a relation that necessarily holds between its relata, as 4 is greater than 2
external relation a relation that does not so hold

Word Origin for relation

C14: from Latin relātiō a narration, a relation (between philosophical concepts)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for relation

relation

[ rĭ-lā′shən ]

n.

A logical or natural association between two or more things; relevance of one to another; connection.

The connection of people by blood or marriage; kinship.

A person connected to another by blood or marriage; a relative.

The positional relationship of the teeth or other structures in the mouth.

Idioms and Phrases with relation

relation

see poor relation; relative (in relation) to.

relation

noun

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Idioms

Origin of relation

SYNONYMS FOR relation

ANTONYMS FOR relation

Related forms

Examples from the Web for relation

British Dictionary definitions for relation

relation

noun

Word Origin for relation

Medicine definitions for relation

relation

n.

Idioms and Phrases with relation

relation