representative

American  

[rep-ri-zen-tuh-tiv] / ˌrɛp rɪˈzɛn tə tɪv /

noun

representatives plural

1. a person or thing that represents another or others.

2. an agent or deputy.

   a legal representative.

3. a person who represents a constituency or community in a legislative body, especially a member of the U.S. House of Representatives or a lower house in certain state legislatures.

4. a typical example or specimen of a group, quality, or kind.

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adjective

1. serving to represent; representing.

   Synonyms:

   characteristic, typical, exemplary, symbolic

2. standing or acting for another or others.

3. made up of representatives.

   a representative assembly.

4. Government. of or relating to a system of governance by chosen representatives, usually elected from among a large group, as in

5. exemplifying a group or kind; typical.

   a representative selection of Elizabethan plays.

6. corresponding to or replacing some other species or the like, as in a different locality.

7. of, relating to, or characteristic of representationalism.

8. pertaining to or of the nature of a mental image or representation.

representative British  

/ ˌrɛprɪˈzɛntətɪv /

noun

1. a person or thing that represents another or others

2. Often shortened to: rep.  a person who represents and tries to sell the products or services of a firm, esp a travelling salesman

3. a typical example

4. a person representing a constituency in a deliberative, legislative, or executive body, esp ( capital ) a member of the House of Representatives (the lower house of Congress) See also House of Representatives

5. a rugby player, football player, etc, chosen to represent a province in interprovincial sports

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adjective

1. serving to represent; symbolic

2. 1. exemplifying a class or kind; typical

      a representative example of the species

   2. containing or including examples of all the interests, types, etc, in a group

      a representative collection

3. acting as deputy or proxy for another or others

4. acting for or representing a constituency or the whole people in the process of government

   a representative council

5. of, characterized by, or relating to the political principle of representation of the people

   representative government

6. of or relating to a mental picture or representation

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrepresentative
  noun
• nonrepresentativeness
  noun
• overrepresentativeness
  noun
• representativeness
  noun
• unrepresentativeness
  noun
• overrepresentative
  adjective
• unrepresentative
  adjective
• nonrepresentatively
  adverb
• overrepresentatively
  adverb
• representatively
  adverb
• unrepresentatively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• representatives
  plural

Etymology

Origin of representative

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (adjective), from Medieval Latin repraesentātīvus, from repraesentāt(us) “made present” ( see representation) + -īvus -ive

Explanation

If you're representative of some group, you're typical, you’re a lot like most of the others. You might also be a representative for your group; you were elected to act on behalf of those you represent. The U.S. and many other democracies have representative governments, in which voters elect people to act on their behalf — to represent them. In the U.S., the House of Representatives is the largest legislative body. Its members — congressmen and congresswomen — are elected by the voters of their districts. These representatives are supposed to listen to the views of the people from their districts and act in their best interests.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

representative representatives

The government’s influence will be watched closely in the BOJ’s summary of opinions from this week’s meeting, particularly in remarks by the Cabinet Office representative, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

A representative for Heathrow Airport said: "Our thoughts are with Georgie's family and friends, as well as all of our colleagues in the wider Virgin Atlantic family who feel this loss."

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

Even so, the authors described the research as rigorous and noted that it used high quality data from a large and representative group of patients.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026

“For years, our parents have sought clarity regarding matters connected to the estate of our brother, Chadwick Boseman, including his intellectual property and legacy,” the brothers said in an emailed statement shared by their representative.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

Still waiting for Mrs. Baker to send down a representative for the cupcakes.

From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt

Under Fifa rules, agencies are allowed to sign players to contracts that make them the sole representatives in a country like England for a specific period of time.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

Chief Executive Michael Leiters warned last month that the company was in talks with employee representatives to slash jobs alongside other initiatives to ensure the competitiveness of Porsche’s sites.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

“The American people don’t send people to Washington to get rich, and they deserve confidence that elected representatives are serving the people and not themselves,” he said.

From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026

The admissions group that will lead it, the Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools, will consult with representatives of the state Board of Education and K-12 subject specialists.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

The treaty formally ending World War I was signed by representatives of the Allied powers and the German government in the Hall of Mirrors of the Palace of Versailles near Paris on June 28, 1919.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

Related Words

• agent
• commissioner
• counselor
• delegate
• deputy
• lawyer
• legislator
• member
• senator