relative

[ rel-uh-tiv ]

/ ˈrɛl ə tɪv /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR relative ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who is connected with another or others by blood or marriage.

something having, or standing in, some relation or connection to something else.

something dependent upon external conditions for its specific nature, size, etc. (opposed to absolute).

Grammar. a relative pronoun, adjective, or adverb.

adjective

considered in relation to something else; comparative: the relative merits of democracy and monarchy.

existing or having its specific nature only by relation to something else; not absolute or independent: Happiness is relative.

having relation or connection.

having reference or regard; relevant; pertinent (usually followed by to): to determine the facts relative to an accident.

correspondent; proportionate: Value is relative to demand.

(of a term, name, etc.) depending for significance upon something else: “Better” is a relative term.

Grammar.

noting or pertaining to a word that introduces a subordinate clause of which it is, or is a part of, the subject or predicate and that refers to an expressed or implied element of the principal clause (the antecedent), as the relative pronoun who in He's the man who saw you or the relative adverb where in This is the house where she was born.
noting or pertaining to a relative clause.

Nearby words

relational, relational database, relations, relationship, relationship marketing, relative, relative accommodation, relative aperture, relative atomic mass, relative bearing, relative clause

Origin of relative

1350–1400; Middle English relatif (noun) (< Middle French) < Late Latin relātīvus (adj.); see relate, -ive

Related forms

non·rel·a·tive, noun, adjectivenon·rel·a·tive·ly, adverbnon·rel·a·tive·ness, nounun·rel·a·tive, adjective

un·rel·a·tive·ly, adverb

Usage note

11. See who.

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

Examples from the Web for relatives

So where does this leave the millions of Palestinians—like my relatives—who dream of self-determination and a sovereign state?
In the Middle East, the Two-State Solution Is Dead|Dean Obeidallah|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
That is why I visited my relatives in Iran in 2011, when I was unjustly arrested and charged with espionage.
An American Marine in Iran’s Prisons Goes on Hunger Strike|IranWire|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He called for the homes of their families to be leveled “to the ground” and their relatives to be exiled from Chechnya.
Putin’s Favorite Acolyte Terrorizes Human Rights Activists|Anna Nemtsova|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They began exchanging letters and she developed a relationship with his relatives on the outside.
Saying Yes to the Dress—Behind Bars|Caitlin Dickson|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The government should be asking the relatives of Alan Turing to pardon them for treating him so appallingly!
Charles Dance on Tywin Lannister’s S5 Return, A ‘Game of Thrones’ Movie,’ and Sexy Peter Dinklage|Marlow Stern|November 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Many women and children were crying because they had been separated from relatives and friends.
Current History: A Monthly Magazine of the New York Times, May 1918|Various
With a band of relatives he invaded the convent, but neither abuse nor blows could subdue this child of fourteen.
Life of St. Francis of Assisi|Paul Sabatier
Then the relatives discuss the affair, each side exaggerating its own view of the question.
The Manbos of Mindano|John M. Garvan
Whitney found the workings of his companion's mind more interesting than the particulars about his relatives.
Johnstone of the Border|Harold Bindloss
He answered, "I wish you would tell me whether I have any parents living and who my relatives are."
Young Folks Treasury, Volume 2 (of 12)|Various

British Dictionary definitions for relatives

relative

/ (ˈrɛlətɪv) /

adjective

having meaning or significance only in relation to something else; not absolutea relative value

(prenominal) (of a scientific quantity) being measured or stated relative to some other substance or measurementrelative humidity; relative density Compare absolute (def. 10)

(prenominal) comparative or respectivethe relative qualities of speed and accuracy

(postpositive foll by to) in proportion (to); corresponding (to)earnings relative to production

having reference (to); pertinent (to)matters not relative to the topic under discussion

grammar denoting or belonging to a class of words that function as subordinating conjunctions in introducing relative clauses. In English, relative pronouns and determiners include who, which, and thatCompare demonstrative (def. 5), interrogative (def. 3)

grammar denoting or relating to a clause (relative clause) that modifies a noun or pronoun occurring earlier in the sentence

(of a musical key or scale) having the same key signature as another key or scaleC major is the relative major of A minor

noun

a person who is related by blood or marriage; relation

a relative pronoun, clause, or grammatical construction

Derived Formsrelativeness, noun

Word Origin for relative

C16: from Late Latin relātīvus referring

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

Word Origin and History for relatives (1 of 2)

relative

late 14c., "a relative pronoun," from Old French relatif (13c.), from Late Latin relativus "having reference or relation," from Latin relatus, past participle of referre "to refer" (see refer). Meaning "person in the same family" first recorded 1650s.

Word Origin and History for relatives (1 of 2)

relative

adj.

early 15c., "having reference," from Middle French relatif and directly from Late Latin relativus (see relative (n.)). Meaning "compared to each other" is from 1590s; that of "depending on a relationship to something else" is from 1610s.

relative

noun

adjective

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Nearby words

Origin of relative

Usage note

Examples from the Web for relatives

British Dictionary definitions for relatives

relative

adjective

noun

Word Origin for relative

Word Origin and History for relatives (1 of 2)

relative

Word Origin and History for relatives (1 of 2)

relative