释义 |
rep·re·sent·a·tive I. \|reprə̇|zentəd.iv, -prē|z-, -tətiv, in rapid speech often ÷ -pə|z-, chiefly in substand speech -pər|z-\ adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French or Medieval Latin; Middle French representatif, from Medieval Latin repraesentativus, from Latin repraesentatus (past participle of repraesentare to represent) + -ivus -ive 1. : serving to represent, portray, or typify : characterized by representation < a painting representative of a battle > 2. : standing for or in the place of another : acting for another or others : constituting the agent for another especially through delegated authority 3. : of, based upon, or constituting a form of government in which the many are represented by persons chosen from among them usually by election < representative government > < representative democracy > < development of the representative system > 4. : serving as a characteristic example : illustrative of a class : conveying an idea of others of the kind : typical < a representative modern play > < a representative romantic poem > 5. a. : having the character of a mental representation — compare representation 1e b. : of or relating to the doctrine of representationalism < the representative theory of knowledge > II. noun (-s) 1. a. : one that stands for a number or class (as of persons or things) : one that in some way corresponds to, replaces, or is equivalent to someone or something else : sample, specimen < many representatives of the Protozoa — R.E.Coker > < the student body includes representatives of 36 states — American Guide Series: North Carolina > < where distinctly different biological representatives are found — American Guide Series: Minnesota > b. : a typical embodiment of some quality or abstract concept : type < the most authoritative representative … of the ideal of priestly stewardship — V.L.Parrington > < of the Semitic family Arabic is the chief living representative — A.L.Kroeber > < the sole representative … of the feelings and the knowledge of the middle ages — H.T.Buckle > 2. obsolete : a representative body or assembly < debate in the grand representative of the kingdom — Nathaniel Bacon > 3. : one that represents another or others in a special capacity: as a. (1) : one that represents a constituency as a member of a legislative or other governing body < the people exercises this sovereignty … through the votes of its representatives — D.W.S.Lidderdale > < committee … to which no representative of an Arab state had been named — U.N. Bulletin > < summoned representatives of the shires and the boroughs to parliament > (2) : a member of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress (3) : a member of a house of representatives in a state legislature b. (1) : one that represents another as agent, deputy, substitute, or delegate usually being invested with the authority of the principal (2) : one appointed to represent a sovereign or government abroad < the permanent representative of Canada to the North Atlantic Council — Current Biography > < served as representative of the president of the United States in conferences with the allies > c. : one who legally represents or stands in the place of a deceased person : legal representative a, personal representative d. : one that in some respect stands for or in the place of another < money is only a commodious representative of the commodities which may be purchased with it — Joseph Priestley > e. : one that represents a business organization : salesman < local representative of an insurance company > f. : one that represents another as successor or heir : one representing a line or tradition < the last representative of one of the founding families > < do not know if his large family has left any representatives today — Notes & Queries > |