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Showing results for relational. Search instead for relation card.
Synonyms

relational

American  
[ri-ley-shuh-nl] / rɪˈleɪ ʃə nl /

adjective

  1. of or relating to relations.

  2. indicating or specifying some relation.

  3. Grammar. serving to indicate relations between various elements in a sentence, as prepositions, conjunctions, etc.

relational British  
/ rɪˈleɪʃənəl /

adjective

  1. grammar indicating or expressing syntactic relation, as for example the case endings in Latin

  2. having relation or being related

  3. computing based on data stored in a tabular form

    a relational database
"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

Other Word Forms

  • nonrelational adjective
  • unrelational adjective

Etymology

Origin of relational

First recorded in 1655–65; relation + -al 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“When people use that term toxic friend-group, what they’re talking about is a classic clique,” said Noëlle Santorelli, a clinical psychologist in Atlanta, who specializes in relational aggression including mean-girl dynamics among teens and adults.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

For Squibb, who understands acting as a relational art, complication is the source of the most resonant truths.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2025

It combats what Dr Franco calls "relational loneliness" - the loss of deeper platonic bonds needed for healthy human connection.

From BBC • Oct. 12, 2025

In 1979, Oracle introduced the first commercial relational database, External link which essentially organizes and manages data sets, calling it Version 2 External link because he didn’t think anyone would buy a Version 1.

From Barron's • Oct. 10, 2025

And that's because of this relational database thing.

From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.