relative
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Related to relative: Relative term
rel·a·tive
(rĕl′ə-tĭv)adj.
1. Considered in comparison or relation to something else: an animal with a large brain relative to body size; the relative quiet of the suburbs.
2. Having pertinence or relevance; connected or related: How are those remarks relative to the discussion?
3. Grammar Referring to or qualifying an antecedent, as the pronoun who in the man who was on TV or that in the dictionary that I use.
4. Music Having the same key signature. Used of major and minor scales and keys: A minor is the relative minor of C major.
n.
1.
a. A person related to another by heredity, adoption, or marriage.
b. A species or other taxon that shares a common ancestor, usually a relatively recent ancestor, with another: The jaguar is a relative of the lion.
2. Grammar A relative pronoun.
[Middle English, from Old French relatif, from Late Latin relātīvus, from Latin relātus, past participle of referre, to relate; see relate.]
rel′a·tive·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
relative
(ˈrɛlətɪv)adj
1. having meaning or significance only in relation to something else; not absolute: a relative value.
2. (prenominal) (of a scientific quantity) being measured or stated relative to some other substance or measurement: relative humidity; relative density. Compare absolute10
3. (prenominal) comparative or respective: the relative qualities of speed and accuracy.
4. (foll by: to) in proportion (to); corresponding (to): earnings relative to production.
5. having reference (to); pertinent (to): matters not relative to the topic under discussion.
6. (Grammar) grammar denoting or belonging to a class of words that function as subordinating conjunctions in introducing relative clauses. In English, relative pronouns and determiners include who, which, and that. Compare demonstrative5, interrogative3
7. (Grammar) grammar denoting or relating to a clause (relative clause) that modifies a noun or pronoun occurring earlier in the sentence
8. (Music, other) (of a musical key or scale) having the same key signature as another key or scale: C major is the relative major of A minor.
n
9. a person who is related by blood or marriage; relation
10. (Grammar) a relative pronoun, clause, or grammatical construction
[C16: from Late Latin relātīvus referring]
ˈrelativeness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
rel•a•tive
(ˈrɛl ə tɪv)n.
1. a person who is connected with another by blood or marriage.
2. something having, or standing in, some relation to something else.
3. something dependent upon external conditions for its specific nature, size, etc. (opposed to absolute).
4. a relative pronoun, adjective, or adverb.
adj. 5. considered in relation to something else; comparative: the relative merits of gas and electric heating.
6. existing or having its specific nature only by relation to something else; not absolute or independent: Happiness is relative.
7. having relation or connection.
8. having reference; relevant; pertinent (usu. fol. by to): the facts relative to the case.
9. correspondent; proportionate.
10. depending for significance upon something else: “Better” is a relative term.
11. of or designating a word that introduces a subordinate clause and refers to an expressed or implied element of the principal clause: the relative pronoun who in “That was the woman who called”; the relative adverb where in “This is the house where I was born.”
12. (of a musical key) having the same key signature as another key: a relative minor.
[1350–1400; Middle English relatif (n.) (< Middle French) < Late Latin relātīvus (adj.); see relate, -ive]
rel′a•tive•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
relation
– relative – relationshipThese words are used to refer to people or to connections between people.
1. 'relation' and 'relative'
Your relations or relatives are the members of your family.
I said that I was a relation of her first husband.
I'm going to visit some relatives.
The relations between people or groups are the contacts between them and the way they behave towards each other.
Relations between the two men had not improved.
Britain has close relations with the US.
2. 'relationship'
You can talk in a similar way about the relationship between two people or groups.
The old relationship between the friends was quickly re-established.
Senor Zapatero has shown that he is keen to have a close relationship with Britain.
A relationship is also a close friendship between two people, especially one involving sexual or romantic feelings.
When the relationship ended two months ago, he was very upset.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  relative - a person related by blood or marriage; "police are searching for relatives of the deceased"; "he has distant relations back in New Jersey"individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do" ancestor, antecedent, ascendant, ascendent, root - someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent) descendant, descendent - a person considered as descended from some ancestor or race in-law, relative-in-law - a relative by marriage blood relation, blood relative, cognate, sib - one related by blood or origin; especially on sharing an ancestor with another kinsman - a male relative kinswoman - a female relative kissing cousin, kissing kin - a more or less distant relative; familiar enough to be greeted with a kiss next of kin - the person who is (or persons who are) most closely related to a given person offspring, progeny, issue - the immediate descendants of a person; "she was the mother of many offspring"; "he died without issue" second cousin - a child of a first cousin |
| 2. | relative - an animal or plant that bears a relationship to another (as related by common descent or by membership in the same genus) | |
| Adj. | 1. | relative - estimated by comparison; not absolute or complete; "a relative stranger" absolute - perfect or complete or pure; "absolute loyalty"; "absolute silence"; "absolute truth"; "absolute alcohol" |
| 2. | relative - properly related in size or degree or other measurable characteristics; usually followed by `to'; "the punishment ought to be proportional to the crime"; "earnings relative to production" proportionate - being in due proportion; "proportionate representation of a minority group" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
relative
noun
1. relation, connection, kinsman or kinswoman, member of your or the family Do relatives of yours still live in Siberia?
adjective
1. comparative, considerable, reasonable, moderate, in comparison a period of relative calm
2. corresponding, comparable, respective, comparative, reciprocal, correlative the relative importance of education in 50 countries
3. (with to) in proportion to, corresponding to, proportionate to, proportional to The satellite remains in one spot relative to the earth's surface.
Quotations
"Every man sees in his relatives, and especially in his cousins, a series of grotesque caricatures of himself" [H.L. Mencken Prejudices]
"When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity" [Albert Einstein]
"Every man sees in his relatives, and especially in his cousins, a series of grotesque caricatures of himself" [H.L. Mencken Prejudices]
"When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity" [Albert Einstein]
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
relative
adjective1. Estimated by comparison:
2. Determined or to be determined by someone or something else:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
أحد الأقْرِباء، أحد أفراد العائِلَهضَمير الصِّلَهقَريبنِسْبي
příbuznývztažný-ápoměrný
forholdsmæssighenførendepårørenderelativslægtning
sukulainen
rodrođak
relatívrokonviszonylagosvonatkozó
ættingií samanburîi viîskyldmennitilvísunar-
親戚
친척
vzťažný
sorazmerensorodnik
släktingrelativ
เครือญาติ
họ hàng
relative
[ˈrelətɪv]A. ADJ
1. (= comparative) [safety, peace, comfort, ease] → relativo
her relative lack of experience → su relativa falta de experiencia
he is a relative newcomer → es relativamente nuevo
it's all relative → todo es relativo
in relative terms → relativamente
petrol consumption is relative to speed → el consumo de gasolina está en relación con la velocidad
there is a shortage of labour relative to demand → hay escasez de trabajadores en relación con la demanda
her relative lack of experience → su relativa falta de experiencia
he is a relative newcomer → es relativamente nuevo
it's all relative → todo es relativo
in relative terms → relativamente
petrol consumption is relative to speed → el consumo de gasolina está en relación con la velocidad
there is a shortage of labour relative to demand → hay escasez de trabajadores en relación con la demanda
2. (= respective) the relative merits of the two systems → los méritos de cada uno de los dos sistemas
3. (= relevant) relative to → relativo a, concerniente a
the documents relative to the problem → la documentación relativa or concerniente al problema
the documents relative to the problem → la documentación relativa or concerniente al problema
4. (Ling) → relativo
relative clause → oración f subordinada relativa, oración f (subordinada) de relativo
relative pronoun → pronombre m relativo
relative clause → oración f subordinada relativa, oración f (subordinada) de relativo
relative pronoun → pronombre m relativo
5. (Mus) → relativo
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
relative
[ˈrɛlətɪv] adj
(= comparative) → relatif/ive
a period of relative calm → une période de calme relatif
relative to sth → relativement à qch
it's all relative → tout est relatif
a period of relative calm → une période de calme relatif
relative to sth → relativement à qch
it's all relative → tout est relatif
(= respective) → respectif/ive
the relative merits of London and Paris → les mérites respectifs de Londres et Parisrelative clause n → (proposition f) relative f
the relative merits of London and Paris → les mérites respectifs de Londres et Parisrelative clause n → (proposition f) relative f
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
relative
adj
(= comparative, not absolute, Sci) → relativ; happiness is relative → Glück ist relativ; relative to him, she is in a very happy position → verglichen mit ihm ist sie gut dran; fuel consumption is relative to speed → der Benzinverbrauch hängt von der Geschwindigkeit ab; to live in relative luxury → verhältnismäßig or relativ luxuriös leben; with relative ease → relativ leicht; in relative terms → vergleichsweise, relativ gesehen; it’s all relative → es ist alles relativ
(Mus) minor, major → parallel
n
(= person) = relation a
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
relative
[ˈrɛlətɪv]1. adj (comparative) (Gram) → relativo/a; (connected) relative to → legato/a a
the relative merits of X and Y → i meriti rispettivi di X e Y
the relative merits of X and Y → i meriti rispettivi di X e Y
2. n → parente m/f
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
relate
(rəˈleit) verb1. to tell (a story etc). He related all that had happened to him.
2. (with to) to be about, concerned or connected with. Have you any information relating to the effect of penicillin on mice?
3. (with to) to behave towards. He finds it difficult to relate normally to his mother.
reˈlated adjective1. belonging to the same family (as). I'm related to the Prime Minister; The Prime Minister and I are related.
2. connected. other related topics.
reˈlation noun1. a person who belongs to the same family as oneself either by birth or because of marriage. uncles, aunts, cousins and other relations.
2. a relationship (between facts, events etc).
3. (in plural) contact and communications between people, countries etc. to establish friendly relations.
reˈlationship noun1. the friendship, contact, communications etc which exist between people. He finds it very difficult to form lasting relationships.
2. the fact that, or the way in which, facts, events etc are connected. Is there any relationship between crime and poverty?
3. the state of being related by birth or because of marriage.
relative (ˈrelətiv) noun a member of one's family; a relation. All his relatives attended the funeral.
adjective1. compared with something else, or with each other, or with a situation in the past etc. the relative speeds of a car and a train; She used to be rich but now lives in relative poverty.
2. (of a pronoun, adjective or clause) referring back to something previously mentioned. the girl who sang the song; the girl who sang the song.
relatively (ˈrelətivli) adverb when compared to someone or something else. He seems relatively happy now; This is a fairly unimportant problem, relatively speaking.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
relative
→ قَريب příbuzný slægtning Verwandter συγγενής pariente sukulainen parent rođak parente 親戚 친척 familielid slektning krewny parente родственник släkting เครือญาติ göreceli họ hàng 亲戚Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
relative
1. n. pariente, familiar;
2. gr. pronombre relativo;
a. relativo-a.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
relative
n familiar mf, pariente mf; blood — pariente consanguíneo (form), pariente que tiene antepasados en común (con uno); [Note: The RAE lists familiar as masculine only, but feminine usage when referring to females is the norm.]English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.