relative

relative
I. noun Date: 14th century 1. a word referring grammatically to an antecedent 2. a thing having a relation to or connection with or necessary dependence on another thing 3. a. a person connected with another by blood or affinity b. an animal or plant related to another by common descent 4. a relative term II. adjective Date: 15th century 1. introducing a subordinate clause qualifying an expressed or implied antecedent <
a relative pronoun
>
; also introduced by such a connective <
a relative clause
>
2. relevant, pertinent <
matters relative to world peace
>
3. not absolute or independent ; comparative <
the relative isolation of life in the country
>
4. having the same key signature — used of major and minor keys and scales 5. expressed as the ratio of the specified quantity (as an error in measuring) to the total magnitude (as the value of a measured quantity) or to the mean of all the quantities involved

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Relative — can refer to: *Kinship, the principle binding the most basic social units society. If two people are connected by circumstances of birth, they are said to be relatives Physics*Relativity as a concept in physics (for example Albert Einstein s… …   Wikipedia

  • relative — rel‧a‧tive [ˈrelətɪv] adjective having a particular value or quality when compared with similar things: • the relative strength of the dollar • IBM was a relative latecomer to the laptop market. relatively adverb : • The system is relatively easy …   Financial and business terms

  • relative — rel·a·tive adj 1: not absolute 2 in the civil law of Louisiana: having or allowing some legal effect a relative impediment a relative simulation see also relative nullity at nullity …   Law dictionary

  • Relative — Rel a*tive (r?l ? t?v), a. [F. relatif, L. relativus. See {Relate}.] 1. Having relation or reference; referring; respecting; standing in connection; pertaining; as, arguments not relative to the subject. [1913 Webster] I ll have grounds More… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • relative — [rel′ə tiv] adj. [< MFr or L: MFr relatif < L relativus < L relatus: see RELATE] 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… …   English World dictionary

  • relative — ● relative nom féminin Proposition relative. ● relatif, relative adjectif (latin médiéval relativus, du latin classique relatum, de referre, rapporter) Qui se rapporte à quelqu un, à quelque chose, qui les concerne : Les questions relatives à l… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • relative — ► ADJECTIVE 1) considered in relation or in proportion to something else. 2) existing or possessing a characteristic only in comparison to something else: months of relative calm ended in April. 3) Grammar (of a pronoun, determiner, or adverb)… …   English terms dictionary

  • Relative — Rel a*tive, n. One who, or that which, relates to, or is considered in its relation to, something else; a relative object or term; one of two object or term; one of two objects directly connected by any relation. Specifically: (a) A person… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • relative — [adj1] comparative, respective about, allied, analogous, approximate, associated, concerning, conditional, connected, contingent, corresponding, dependent, in regard to, near, parallel, proportionate, reciprocal, referring, related, relating to,… …   New thesaurus

  • relative — Under Title 11 U.S.C. Section 101: (45) The term relative means individual related by affinity or consanguinity within the third degree as determined by the common law, or individual in a step or adoptive relationship within such third degree.… …   Glossary of Bankruptcy

  • relative — (n.) late 14c., a relative pronoun, from O.Fr. relatif (13c.), from L.L. relativus having reference or relation, from L. relatus, pp. of referre to refer. Meaning person in the same family first recorded 1650s; the adj. is attested from 1520s …   Etymology dictionary

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