representation

American  

[rep-ri-zen-tay-shuhn, -zuhn-] / ˌrɛp rɪ zɛnˈteɪ ʃən, -zən- /

noun

• representations
  plural

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.

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representation British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• representations
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of representation

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”; see represent) + -iō -ion

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Explanation

A representation acts or serves on behalf or in place of something. A lawyer provides legal representation for his client. A caricature is an exaggerated representation or likeness of a person. Representation comes from the Latin repraesentare meaning "bring before, exhibit." A representation is an exhibit, whether it comes in the form of legal guidance or in the form of artistic expression. The act of representation has to do with replacing or acting on behalf of an original. Elected officials serve as the representation for their constituency — or at least it's supposed to work that way.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

representation representations

The findings suggest that chronic back pain can become closely connected with the brain's internal representation of the self.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026

Meta later notified the user that it planned to move forward with the subpoena, and the user, through their own legal representation, filed a motion to quash it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Because of Israel’s proportional representation system, no party has ever won 61 seats outright to achieve a Knesset majority, meaning that the election will be followed by potentially long, drawn-out negotiations.

From Slate ● Oct. 28, 2026

Both in Serbia and Hungary, many have expressed hope that ousting their autocratic regimes would open up a chance for a new generation of political representation and genuine democratic participation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026

It is, in fact, just like the grid used by artists to establish the picture plane, and its representation requires the same techniques as the representation of a tiled floor.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Weil fell out of the top 10 in company-side chapter 11 representations through the first nine months of this year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

"These and other representations concerning Rush's military and academic accomplishments were false," the plea deal filing states.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

But generative AI tools are making it faster and easier for anyone to create false representations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

As these examples show, creating a museum exhibition is a delicate balance between handling traditional narratives rooted in popular imagination and presenting accurate representations of the past.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026

In a copper dish on the altar are three silver murtis, representations.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

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Related Words

• depiction
• image
• portrayal

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