ˈrelətɪv adj. & n. --adj. 1 considered or having
significance in
relation to
something else (relative velocity). 2 (foll. by to) having
existence only as perceived or considered by (beauty is relative to
the eye of the beholder). 3 (foll. by to) proportioned to (something else) (growth is relative to input). 4 implying
comparison or contextual relation ('heat' is a relative word). 5
comparative; compared
one with another (their relative advantages). 6 having
mutual relations; corresponding in
some way;
related to
each other. 7 (foll. by to) having
reference or relating (the facts relative to the issue). 8 involving a
different but corresponding
idea (the concepts of
husband and wife are relative to each other). 9 Gram. a (of a
word,
esp. a pronoun) referring to an expressed or implied
antecedent and attaching a
subordinate clause to
it, e.g.
which,
who. b (of a clause) attached to an antecedent by a relative word. 10 Mus. (of
major and
minor keys) having the
same key
signature. 11 (of a service rank) corresponding in
grade to another in a different service. 12
pertinent,
relevant; related to the
subject (need
more relative proof). --n. 1 a
person connected by
blood or
marriage. 2 a
species related to another by
common origin (the apes, man's closest relatives). 3 Gram. a relative word, esp. a
pronoun. 4 Philos. a relative
thing or
term. ørelative
atomic mass the
ratio of the
average mass of one
atom of an
element to one
twelfth of the mass of an atom of carbon-12:
also called atomic
weight. relative
density Chem. the ratio of the density of a
substance to the density of a
standard, usu.
water for a
liquid or
solid, and
air for a
gas. relative
molecular mass the ratio of the average mass of one
molecule of an element or compound to one twelfth of the mass of an atom of carbon-12: also called molecular weight. øørelatival adj. (in
sense 3 of n.). relatively adv. relativeness n. [ME f. OF relatif
-ive or LL relativus having reference or relation (as RELATE)]
