representation

American  

[rep-ri-zen-tey-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

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

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 lack of representation contradicted what he knew to be true: Holiness also resides in Black and brown people.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

It wasn't an easy start for Cavanagh, who was rejected by more than 50 agents before getting representation for the Eddie Flynn series and securing the first book deal.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

The snapshot wasn’t a perfect representation of how locals feel about the project—the development has older fans and younger foes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

"Our results show that as discussions around proportional representation in the UK get more attention, there is no such thing as a 'perfect' system," said Klausen.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026

We continued to study the American Revolution, and learned about the injustices of taxation without representation, and memorized passages from the Declaration of Independence.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

“Upon review of the parties’ submissions and counsel’s representations at the hearing, it does not appear that Defendants’ noncompliance is due to an inability to comply,” Frimpong said in her order.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

The American institution of the sleepaway camp has inspired a genre of cinema, so it’s curious that it calls to mind so few representations in fiction.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Yvette Cooper spoke to the British ambassador to Mexico, to ask that British diplomats made representations against a change, to ensure that the 3,000 travelling England fans didn't miss the match as a result.

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

Protagonist Clark loses himself in it, transforming into an unapologetic narcissist surrounded only by facile representations of humanity.

From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2026

Although textbooks give confident-looking representations of ancient landmasses with names like Laurasia, Gondwana, Rodinia, and Pangaea, these are sometimes based on conclusions that don’t altogether hold up.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• depiction
• image
• portrayal