âCoffee, the favorite drink of the civilized world.â â Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States
RELATIVE
relative, comparative
(adjective) estimated by comparison; not absolute or complete; âa relative strangerâ
proportional, relative
(adjective) properly related in size or degree or other measurable characteristics; usually followed by âtoâ; âthe punishment ought to be proportional to the crimeâ; âearnings relative to productionâ
relative, congener, congenator, congeneric
(noun) an animal or plant that bears a relationship to another (as related by common descent or by membership in the same genus)
relative, relation
(noun) a person related by blood or marriage; âpolice are searching for relatives of the deceasedâ; âhe has distant relations back in New Jerseyâ
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Adjective
relative (not comparable)
Connected to or depending on something else; comparative.
(computing, of a URL, URI, path, or similar) Expressed in relation to another item, rather than in complete form.
(grammar) That relates to an antecedent.
(music) Having the same key but differing in being major or minor.
Relevant; pertinent; related.
Capable to be changed by other beings or circumstance; conditional.
Synonyms
• comparative
• conditional
• limited
Antonyms
• absolute
• unlimited
Noun
relative (plural relatives)
Someone in the same family; someone connected by blood, marriage, or adoption.
(linguistics) A type of adjective that inflects like a relative clause, rather than a true adjective, in certain Bantu languages.
Synonyms
• See also relative
Anagrams
• levirate
Source: Wiktionary
Rel"a*tive (rl"-tv), a. Etym: [F. relatif, L. relativus. See Relate.]
1. Having relation or reference; referring; respecting; standing in connection; pertaining; as, arguments not relative to the subject. I'll have grounds More relative than this. Shak.
2. Arising from relation; resulting from connection with, or reference to, something else; not absolute. Every thing sustains both an absolute and a relative capacity: an absolute, as it is such a thing, endued with such a nature; and a relative, as it is a part of the universe, and so stands in such a relations to the whole. South.
3. (Gram.)
Definition: Indicating or expressing relation; refering to an antecedent; as, a relative pronoun.
4. (Mus.)
Definition: Characterizing or pertaining to chords and keys, which, by reason of the identify of some of their tones, admit of a natural transition from one to the other. Moore (Encyc. of Music). Relative clause (Gram.), a clause introduced by a relative pronoun.
– Relative term, a term which implies relation to, as guardian to ward, matter to servant, husband to wife. Cf. Correlative.
Rel"a*tive, n.
Definition: 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 connected by blood or affinity; strictly, one allied by blood; a relation; a kinsman or kinswoman. "Confining our care . . . to ourselves and relatives." Bp. Fell. (b) (Gram.) A relative prnoun; a word which relates to, or represents, another word or phrase, called its antecedent; as, the relatives " who", "which", "that".
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
31 March 2025
IMPROVISED
(adjective) done or made using whatever is available; âcrossed the river on improvised bridgesâ; âthe survivors used jury-rigged fishing gearâ; âthe rock served as a makeshift hammerâ
Coffee Trivia
