representative

[ rep-ri-zen-tuh-tiv ]

/ ˌrɛp rɪˈzɛn tə tɪv /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR representative ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person or thing that represents another or others.

an agent or deputy: a legal representative.

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.

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

adjective

serving to represent; representing.

standing or acting for another or others.

made up of representatives: a representative assembly.

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

exemplifying a group or kind; typical: a representative selection of Elizabethan plays.

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

of, relating to, or characteristic of representationalism.

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

Nearby words

Origin of representative

1350–1400; Middle English (adj.) < Medieval Latin repraesentātīvus, equivalent to repraesentāt(us) (see representation) + -īvus -ive

SYNONYMS FOR representative

5. symbolic, exemplary, typical, characteristic.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR representative ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

rep·re·sent·a·tive·ly, adverbrep·re·sent·a·tive·ness, nounnon·rep·re·sent·a·tive, noun, adjectivenon·rep·re·sent·a·tive·ly, adverb

non·rep·re·sent·a·tive·ness, nouno·ver·rep·re·sent·a·tive, adjectiveo·ver·rep·re·sent·a·tive·ly, adverbo·ver·rep·re·sent·a·tive·ness, nounun·rep·re·sent·a·tive, adjectiveun·rep·re·sent·a·tive·ly, adverbun·rep·re·sent·a·tive·ness, noun

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

Examples from the Web for unrepresentative

An unrepresentative turnout makes for an unrepresentative result.
Tea Party Cannibalizes Cantor|John Avlon|June 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The caucuses are the most overrated, unrepresentative aspect of the 2012 presidential campaign.
The Case for Ignoring Iowa|Michelle Cottle|January 3, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Our so-called representative system is unrepresentative in a deeper way than the reformers who talk about the money power imagine.
A Preface to Politics|Walter Lippmann
It was dignified and not unrepresentative of his standing in the company.
Jennie Gerhardt|Theodore Dreiser

As a deliberative body, convocation has done much useful work, but it suffers considerably from its unrepresentative nature.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 3|Various
First of all, why do men vaguely feel that the House of Commons is unrepresentative?
Essays in Liberalism|Various
But it seemed unwise and unrepresentative to frame one's policy of selection too rigidly on that score.
Representative Plays by American Dramatists|Various

British Dictionary definitions for unrepresentative

unrepresentative

/ (ˌʌnrɛprɪˈzɛntətɪv) /

adjective

not typical or representative

representative

/ (ˌrɛprɪˈzɛntətɪv) /

noun

a person or thing that represents another or others

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

a typical example

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

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

adjective

serving to represent; symbolic

exemplifying a class or kind; typicala representative example of the species
containing or including examples of all the interests, types, etc, in a groupa representative collection

acting as deputy or proxy for another or others

acting for or representing a constituency or the whole people in the process of governmenta representative council

of, characterized by, or relating to the political principle of representation of the peoplerepresentative government

of or relating to a mental picture or representation

Derived Formsrepresentatively, adverbrepresentativeness, noun

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 unrepresentative

representative

adj.

"serving to represent," late 14c., from Old French representatif (early 14c.), from Medieval Latin repraesentativus, from stem of Latin repraesentare (see represent). Meaning "standing for others" is from 1620s; in the political sense of "holding the place of the people in the government, having citizens represented by chosen persons" is first recorded 1620s. Meaning "pertaining to or founded on representation of the people" is from 1640s.

representative

1640s, "example, type," from representative (adj.); 1690s in sense of "member of a legislative body."

representative

noun

adjective

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of representative

Examples from the Web for unrepresentative

unrepresentative

adjective

representative

noun

adjective

representative

representative