relation

American  

[ri-ley-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

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

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

Newton originally developed the inverse square relation to describe motion within the Solar System.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026

Nondefense discretionary spending, defense spending, plus Medicaid, CHIP, healthcare subsidies and other mandatory programs are already projected to shrink in relation to the economy.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026

Chan Mathok Atak, 19, originally from South Sudan, admitted the offence at Canterbury Crown Court in relation to a crossing on 23 July.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

“You need to think about this in relation to the other fast-food places,” one of my friends argued.

From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026

‘An accountant would never again be painted in a relation of superiority to a nobleman.’

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Today we’ll explain the latest developments, what they mean for your wallet, and their significance for the future of U.S.–Canada relations.

From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026

Unable to read or write, many of them rely on younger relations to navigate the modern world, one very different from the land they grew up in.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

"That hostility would not necessarily restore the Islamic republic's legitimacy, but it could complicate future relations long after the present leadership has changed."

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

The new CEO is also navigating relations with Nelson Peltz’s Trian Fund Management, a longtime company shareholder with board representation that has spoken to potential investors about strategic options, including potentially taking Wendy’s private.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

Either Kubat was engaging in wishful thinking or the statement was just a public relations smoke screen to give the match more credibility.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• relationship