Synonyms: relation, connection, kinsman or woman or person, member of your or the family More Synonyms of relative
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
You use relative to say that something is true to a certain degree, especially when compared with other things of the same kind.
The fighting resumed after a period of relative calm.
It is a cancer that can be cured with relative ease.
Pedestrian zones mean that children can play in relative safety.
Synonyms: comparative, considerable, reasonable, moderate More Synonyms of relative
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
You use relative when you are comparing the quality or size of two things.
They chatted about the relative merits of London and Paris as places to live.
I reflected on the relative importance of education in 50 countries.
...the relative strength of the central and state governments.
Synonyms: corresponding, comparable, respective, comparative More Synonyms of relative
4.
See relative to sth
5. adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If you say that something is relative, you mean that it needs to be considered and judged in relation to other things.
Fitness is relative; one must always ask 'Fit for what?'.
Truth is relative.
6. countable noun
If one animal, plant, language, or invention is a relativeof another, they have both developed from the same type of animal, plant, language,or invention.
The pheasant is a close relative of the Guinea hen. [+ of]
More Synonyms of relative
relative in British English
(ˈrɛlətɪv)
adjective
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 absolute (sense 10)
3. (prenominal)
comparative or respective
the relative qualities of speed and accuracy
4. (postpositive; foll byto)
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
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
denoting or relating to a clause (relative clause) that modifies a noun or pronoun occurring earlier in the sentence
8.
(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
noun
9.
a person who is related by blood or marriage; relation
10.
a relative pronoun, clause, or grammatical construction
Derived forms
relativeness (ˈrelativeness)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Late Latin relātīvus referring
relative in American English
(ˈrɛlətɪv)
adjective
1.
related each to the other; dependent upon or referring to each other
to stay in the same relative positions
2.
having to do with; pertinent; relevant
documents relative to a legal case
3.
regarded in relation to something else; comparative
living in relative comfort
4.
meaningful only in relationship; not absolute
“cold” is a relative term
5. Grammar
a.
designating a word that introduces a dependent clause and refers to an antecedent
“which” is a relative pronoun in “the hat which you bought”
b.
introduced by such a word
a relative clause
noun
6.
a relative word, term, or thing
7.
a person connected with another by blood, marriage, etc.; kinsman or kinswoman
8.
a plant or animal in the same taxonomic division as another
Idioms:
relative to
Derived forms
relativeness (ˈrelativeness)
noun
Word origin
< MFr or L: MFr relatif < L relativus < L relatus: see relate
COBUILD Collocations
relative
close relative
long-lost relative
worried relative
Examples of 'relative' in a sentence
relative
The relative pronoun here is the subject of the relative clause.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
If you have elderly relatives do it for them too.
The Sun (2017)
Be tactful when a relative asks for your opinion of a home makeover plan.
The Sun (2016)
How can it be fair to lose out because another competitor has a close relative on hand?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But their form near the end of the season was incredible and they stayed up with relative ease.
The Sun (2016)
But what about their relatives still in Europe?
The Sun (2017)
A chance to make a dream real for a relative draws the family closer.
The Sun (2016)
But officers struggled to get into the building until one rang a relative who worked there, and they were ableto contact store staff.
The Sun (2016)
The family had relatives in England, so that was where they headed.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
How do you tell whether the relative pronoun is the subject or the object?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Plus success for a relative thrills the family.
The Sun (2016)
Perhaps differences in capital structure reflect differences in the relative importance of growth opportunities.
Charles A. D'Ambrosio & Stewart D. Hodges & Richard Brealey & Stewart Myers Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)
Which part of the following sentence is a relative clause?
The Sun (2016)
They should all have qualified with relative ease.
The Sun (2015)
Lawyers for the relatives say that it was aborted against the wishes of police.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Or suspected something fishy behind the low price your elderly relative was offered for a property?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
What distinguishes one period from another is the particular emphasis placed on one value relative to others.
Tompkins, Jonathan Human Resource Management in Government (1995)
Sometimes you can help a dying person by encouraging relatives to face the reality of the situation.
Pearson, Althea Growing Through Loss and Grief (1994)
The relative who lives the furthest from you is a surprising source of luck.
The Sun (2007)
Resist acting surprised when a relative makes a marriage announcement.
The Sun (2011)
Do be tactful when a relative asks for your opinion on wedding plans.
The Sun (2016)
And what about the many elderly patients who have no relatives close to hand?
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
This loose understanding underpinned the period of relative calm that followed.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
We are familiar with the difference between absolute and relative ability in sports like athletics.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
You can solve a problem for a relative but it must be done with tact.
The Sun (2011)
Factors are usually weighted according to their relative importance in determining job worth.
Tompkins, Jonathan Human Resource Management in Government (1995)
The reason is that the pronoun is introducing a relative clause.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The traffickers are able to elude the tiny coastguard fleet with relative ease.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The case of the relative pronoun is then determined by the role that it plays in the relative clause.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The relatives say the company has been slow to act over potentially deadly defects in hundreds of thousands of products.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Quotations
Every man sees in his relatives, and especially in his cousins, a series of grotesque caricatures of himselfH.L. MenckenPrejudices
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 relativityAlbert Einstein
In other languages
relative
British English: relative /ˈrɛlətɪv/ NOUN
Your relatives are the members of your family.
Ask a relative to look after the children.
American English: relative
Arabic: قَريب
Brazilian Portuguese: parente
Chinese: 亲戚
Croatian: rođak
Czech: příbuzný
Danish: slægtning
Dutch: familielid
European Spanish: pariente
Finnish: sukulainen
French: parent famille
German: Verwandter
Greek: συγγενής
Italian: parente
Japanese: 親戚
Korean: 친척
Norwegian: slektning
Polish: krewny
European Portuguese: parente
Romanian: rudă
Russian: родственник
Latin American Spanish: pariente
Swedish: släkting
Thai: เครือญาติ
Turkish: göreceli
Ukrainian: родич
Vietnamese: họ hàng
British English: relative ADJECTIVE
You use relative to say that something is true to a certain degree, especially when compared with other things of the same kind.
The fighting resumed after a period of relative calm.
American English: relative
Brazilian Portuguese: relativo
Chinese: 相对的
European Spanish: relativo
French: relatif
German: relativ
Italian: relativo
Japanese: 相対的な
Korean: 상대적인
European Portuguese: relativo
Latin American Spanish: relativo
All related terms of 'relative'
relative to
relevant to; concerning; about
relative size
The size of something is how big or small it is. Something's size is determined by comparing it to other things, counting it, or measuring it.
close relative
Your relatives are the members of your family.
relative clause
In grammar , a relative clause is a subordinate clause which specifies or gives information about a person or thing. Relative clauses come after a noun or pronoun and, in English, often begin with a relative pronoun such as 'who', 'which', or 'that'.
relative major
the major key which has the same key signature as a given minor key
relative minor
the minor key which has the same key signature as a given major key
relative safety
If you reach safety , you reach a place where you are safe from danger .
relative aperture
the ratio of the equivalent focal length of a lens to the effective aperture of the lens; written as f /n, f:n , or fn , where n is the numerical value of this ratio and is equivalent to the f-number
relative density
the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a standard substance under specified conditions. For liquids and solids the standard is usually water at 4°C or some other specified temperature . For gases the standard is often air or hydrogen at the same temperature and pressure as the substance
relative freedom
Freedom is the state of being allowed to do what you want to do. Freedoms are instances of this.
relative frequency
the ratio of the actual number of favourable events to the total possible number of events; often taken as an estimate of probability
relative humidity
the mass of water vapour present in the air expressed as a percentage of the mass that would be present in an equal volume of saturated air at the same temperature
relative majority
the excess of votes or seats won by the winner of an election over the runner-up when no candidate or party has more than 50 per cent
relative poverty
Poverty is the state of being extremely poor .
relative pronoun
A relative pronoun is a word such as 'who', 'that', or 'which' that is used to introduce a relative clause. 'Whose', 'when', 'where', and 'why' are generally called relative pronouns , though they are actually adverbs.
worried relative
Your relatives are the members of your family.
long-lost relative
Your relatives are the members of your family.
relative conjunction
a conjunction that introduces a relative clause
relative deprivation
the perception of an unfair disparity between one's situation and that of others
relative importance
The importance of something is its quality of being significant , valued, or necessary in a particular situation.
relative lack of
If there is a lack of something, there is not enough of it or it does not exist at all.
relative major key
a major key that has the same key signature as a minor key, but a different tonic
relative minor key
a minor key that has the same key signature as a major key, but a different tonic
relative permeability
the ratio of the permeability of a medium to that of free space
relative permittivity
the ratio of the permittivity of a substance to that of free space
relative probability
a measure or estimate of the degree of confidence one may have in the occurrence of an event, defined as the limit of the proportion observed in a sample as the sample size tends to infinity
relative prosperity
Prosperity is a condition in which a person or community is doing well financially.
relative to sth
Relative to something means with reference to it or in comparison with it.
relative atomic mass
the ratio of the average mass per atom of the naturally occurring form of an element to one-twelfth the mass of an atom of carbon-12
relative molecular mass
the sum of all the relative atomic masses of the atoms in a molecule ; the ratio of the average mass per molecule of a specified isotopic composition of a substance to one-twelfth the mass of an atom of carbon-12
restrictive relative clause
a relative clause that restricts the number of possible referents of its antecedent . The relative clause in Americans who live in New York is restrictive
blood relation
A blood relation or blood relative is someone who is related to you by birth rather than by marriage.
relative biological effectiveness
a property of ionizing radiations that affects their ability to cause biological effects. For weakly ionizing radiations such as gamma rays it has value 1 whilst for alpha rays it is about 20
ram
If a vehicle rams something such as another vehicle, it crashes into it with a lot of force, usually deliberately.
RMM
Mali ( international car registration )
pluralities
the state of being plural or numerous
plurality
If there is a plurality of things, a number of them exist .
co-relation
→ correlation
Chinese translation of 'relative'
relative
(ˈrɛlətɪv)
n(c)
(= member of family) 亲(親)戚(慼) (qīnqi) (个(個), gè)
adj
(= comparative) 相对(對)的 (xiāngduì de)
relative to相对(對)于(於) (xiāngduì yú)
it's all relative都是相对(對)而言 (dōushì xiāngduì ér yán)
(noun)
Definition
a person who is related by blood or marriage
Do relatives of yours still live in Siberia?
Synonyms
relation
I call him Uncle though he's no relation.
connection
She used her connections to full advantage.
kinsman or woman or person
member of your or the family
cuzzie or cuzzie-bro (New Zealand)
rellie (Australian, slang)
1 (adjective)
Definition
true to a certain degree or extent
a period of relative calm
Synonyms
comparative
The task was accomplished with comparative ease.
considerable
We have already spent a considerable amount of money on repairs.
reasonable
The boy answered him in reasonable French.
moderate
A moderate amount of stress can be beneficial.
in comparison
2 (adjective)
Definition
respective
the relative importance of education in 50 countries
Synonyms
corresponding
March and April sales this year were up 8 per cent on the corresponding period last year.
comparable
The scoring systems used in the two studies are not directly comparable.
respective
They went into their respective bedrooms.
comparative
reciprocal
They expected a reciprocal gesture before more hostages could be freed.
correlative
3 (adjective)
Definition
in proportion to
The satellite remains in one spot relative to the earth's surface.
Synonyms
in proportion to
corresponding to
proportionate to
proportional to
4 (adjective)
Synonyms
dependent
related
equipment and accessories for diving and related activities
allied
doctors and other allied medical professionals
associated
the Associated Press
connected
skin problems connected with exposure to the sun
contingent
5 (adjective)
Definition
relevant
Synonyms
relevant
Make sure you enclose all the relevant certificates.
appropriate
It is appropriate that Irish names dominate the list.
applicable
What is reasonable for one family is not applicable for another.
pertinent
She had asked some pertinent questions.
apposite
Recent events have made his central theme even more apposite.
apropos
Having scarcely joined in the conversation before, it was not apropos to do it now.
germane
the suppression of documents which were germane to the case
appurtenant
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]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of allied
Definition
united by a common aim or common characteristics
doctors and other allied medical professionals
Synonyms
connected,
joined,
linked,
tied,
related,
associated,
syndicated,
affiliated,
kindred
in the sense of applicable
Definition
appropriate or relevant
What is reasonable for one family is not applicable for another.
Synonyms
appropriate,
fitting,
fit,
suited,
useful,
suitable,
relevant,
to the point,
apt,
pertinent,
befitting,
apposite,
apropos,
germane,
to the purpose
in the sense of apposite
Definition
suitable or appropriate
Recent events have made his central theme even more apposite.
Synonyms
appropriate,
fitting,
suited,
suitable,
relevant,
proper,
to the point,
apt,
applicable,
pertinent,
befitting,
apropos,
germane,
to the purpose,
appertaining
Synonyms of 'relative'
relative
Explore 'relative' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of appropriate
Definition
right or suitable
It is appropriate that Irish names dominate the list.
Synonyms
suitable,
right,
fitting,
fit,
suited,
correct,
belonging,
relevant,
proper,
to the point,
in keeping,
apt,
applicable,
pertinent,
befitting,
well-suited,
well-timed,
apposite,
apropos,
opportune (formal),
becoming,
seemly,
felicitous,
germane,
to the purpose,
appurtenant,
congruous,
meet (archaic)
in the sense of apropos
Definition
appropriate
Having scarcely joined in the conversation before, it was not apropos to do it now.
Synonyms
appropriate,
right,
seemly,
fitting,
fit,
related,
correct,
belonging,
suitable,
relevant,
proper,
to the point,
apt,
applicable,
pertinent,
befitting,
apposite,
opportune (formal),
germane,
to the purpose,
meet (archaic)
in the sense of associated
the Associated Press
Synonyms
connected,
united,
joined,
leagued,
linked,
tied,
related,
allied,
combined,
involved,
bound,
syndicated,
affiliated,
correlated,
confederated,
yoked
in the sense of comparable
Definition
worthy of comparison
The scoring systems used in the two studies are not directly comparable.
Synonyms
similar,
related,
alike,
corresponding,
akin,
analogous,
of a piece,
cognate,
cut from the same cloth
in the sense of connected
skin problems connected with exposure to the sun
Synonyms
linked,
united,
joined,
coupled,
related,
allied,
associated,
combined,
bracketed,
affiliated,
akin,
banded together
in the sense of connection
Definition
a relative
She used her connections to full advantage.
Synonyms
contact,
friend,
relation,
ally,
associate,
relative,
acquaintance,
kin,
kindred,
or woman or person">kinsman or woman or person,
kith
in the sense of considerable
Definition
large enough to reckon with
We have already spent a considerable amount of money on repairs.
Synonyms
large,
goodly,
much,
great,
marked,
comfortable,
substantial,
reasonable,
tidy (informal),
lavish,
ample,
noticeable,
abundant,
plentiful,
tolerable,
appreciable,
sizable or sizeable
in the sense of germane
Definition
relevant
the suppression of documents which were germane to the case
Synonyms
relevant,
related,
significant,
appropriate,
fitting,
material,
allied,
connected,
suitable,
proper,
apt,
applicable,
pertinent,
apposite,
apropos,
cognate,
appurtenant,
to the point or purpose
in the sense of moderate
Definition
not extreme or excessive
A moderate amount of stress can be beneficial.
Synonyms
reasonable,
average,
acceptable,
within reason,
within limits,
non-excessive
in the sense of pertinent
Definition
relating to the matter at hand
She had asked some pertinent questions.
Synonyms
relevant,
fitting,
fit,
material,
appropriate,
pat,
suitable,
proper,
to the point,
apt,
applicable,
apposite,
apropos,
admissible,
germane,
to the purpose,
ad rem
Additional synonyms
in the sense of reasonable
Definition
average
The boy answered him in reasonable French.
Synonyms
average,
fair,
moderate,
modest,
tolerable (informal),
O.K. or okay (informal)
in the sense of reciprocal
Definition
given or done in return
They expected a reciprocal gesture before more hostages could be freed.
Synonyms
mutual,
corresponding,
reciprocative,
reciprocatory,
exchanged,
equivalent,
alternate,
complementary,
interchangeable,
give-and-take,
interdependent,
correlative
in the sense of related
Definition
connected or associated
equipment and accessories for diving and related activities
Synonyms
associated,
linked,
allied,
joint,
accompanying,
connected,
affiliated,
akin,
correlated,
interconnected,
concomitant,
cognate,
agnate
in the sense of respective
Definition
relating separately to each of several people or things