relative

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B1 — Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a person related by blood or marriage
  2. noun an animal or plant that bears a relationship to another (as related by common descent or by membership in the same genus)
  3. adjective estimated by comparison; not absolute or complete

Etymology

From Middle French relatif, from Late Latin relātīvus, from Latin relātus, perfect passive participle of referō (“to carry back, to ascribe”), from re- (“again”) + ferō (“to bear or carry”). By surface analysis, relate + -ive.

In classic literature

Synonyms

relation

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