relation

American  

[ri-ley-shuhn] / rɪˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

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

• nonrelation noun
• prerelation noun
• relationless adjective
• subrelation noun

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

"This small-bodied -- in relation to the T. rex -- meat-eater's hyoid bone showed growth patterns that suggest maturity or approaching maturity," said Poust, Voorhies Endowed Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology.

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026

Rezaie recently articulated a similar stance in relation to the continuing conflict.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

"I can confirm that in relation to the costs associated with this treaty, they cannot be paid without the treaty being passed, without the relevant legislation being passed," he said.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

“The idea of utilizing the urban forest for lumber started as a business idea in relation to the Urban Ecology Project, a business dedicated to utilizing urban resources.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Alex thought of the man who had been his only relation for as long as he could remember.

From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz

Related Words

• relationship