relative

noun

Someone connected by blood, marriage, or adoption; someone in the same family.

(figurative) Something kindred or related to something else.

(linguistics) A type of adjective that inflects like a relative clause, rather than a true adjective, in certain Bantu languages.

adjective

Connected to or depending on something else; comparative.

Capable to be changed by other beings or circumstance; conditional.

(computing, of a URL, URI, path, or similar) Expressed in relation to another item, rather than in complete form.

(grammar) Depending on an antecedent; comparative.

(music) Having the same key but differing in being major or minor.

(archaic or rare) Relevant; pertinent; related.

adverb

(US) Alternative form of relatively. [In a relative manner; with reference to environment or competition; contextually or comparatively.]

Roots

rere- · Latin · back fero-lat · Latin · carry, bear

Synonyms for relative

relationn kinswomann comparativeadj enaten kinsmann proportionaladj agnaten kinsfolkn kinn sibn kindredadj nephewn kinfolkn kinsmenn siblingn auntn niecen brothern

Synonyms & related words for relative

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of relative — including relation, kinswoman, comparative, enate, kinsman, proportional. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to relative

Explore words related to relative — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include relativeness, congeneric, kinswomen, congener, cousins, affinal, cousinly, agnatic. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for relative

Common synonyms for relative include relation, kinswoman, comparative, enate, kinsman, proportional, agnate, kinsfolk — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does relative come from?

The word relative breaks down into 2 roots of Latin origin: re-, from Latin re (“back”); and -lat, from Latin fero (“carry, bear”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.