representation

[rep-ri-zen-tey-shuhn, -zuhn-]

noun

1. the act of representing.

2. the state of being represented.

3. the expression or designation by some term, character, symbol, or the like.

4. action or speech on behalf of a person, group, business house, state, or the like by an agent, deputy, or representative.

5. the state or fact of being so represented.

   to demand representation on a board of directors.

6. Government.,  the state, fact, or right of being represented by delegates having a voice in legislation or government.

7. the body or number of representatives, as of a constituency.

8. Diplomacy.

   1. the act of speaking or negotiating on behalf of a state.

   2. an utterance on behalf of a state.

9. presentation to the mind, as of an idea or image.

10. a mental image or idea so presented; concept.

11. the act of portrayal, picturing, or other rendering in visible form.

12. a picture, figure, statue, etc.

13. the production or a performance of a play or the like, as on the stage.

14. Often representations. a description or statement, as of things true or alleged.

15. a statement of facts, reasons, etc., made in appealing or protesting; a protest or remonstrance.

16. Law.,  an implication or statement of fact to which legal liability may attach if material.

    a representation of authority.

representation

/ ˌrɛprɪzɛnˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of representing or the state of being represented

2. anything that represents, such as a verbal or pictorial portrait

3. anything that is represented, such as an image brought clearly to mind

4. the principle by which delegates act for a constituency

5. a body of representatives

6. contract law a statement of fact made by one party to induce another to enter into a contract

7. an instance of acting for another, on his authority, in a particular capacity, such as executor or administrator

8. a dramatic production or performance

9. (often plural) a statement of facts, true or alleged, esp one set forth by way of remonstrance or expostulation

10. linguistics an analysis of a word, sentence, etc, into its constituents

    phonetic representation

Other Word Forms

• nonrepresentation noun
• overrepresentation noun
• prerepresentation noun
• self-representation noun
• underrepresentation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of representation¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English representacion, from Latin repraesentātiōn-, stem of repraesentātiō, from repraesentāt(us) “made present” (past participle of repraesentāre “to bring about immediately, make present”; represent ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

She will need a lawyer to buy a house, in any event, and it’s a false economy to try to navigate a divorce — they are rarely, if ever, amicable — without representation.

Read more on MarketWatch

The law’s text doesn’t mention majority-minority districts and stresses that it doesn’t establish a right to proportional representation.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A 2009 lawsuit filed by a creditor alleged that James made representations and omissions that gave a “false understanding of those companies’ financial strength and the value of the collateral securing the loans.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A consistent message emerges from those conversations: representation alone isn’t enough.

Read more on Salon

Hungarian spies attempting to recruit EU officials operated under diplomatic cover at the country's permanent representation to the bloc, which was led at the time by Varhelyi, said the investigation.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• depiction 
• image 
• portrayal