Relative — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /ˈre-lə-tiv/ rel·a·tive

Meaning & Definition of Relative

Relative (noun)

  1. a person connected with another by blood or marriage
  2. an animal or plant related to another by common descent
  3. a thing having a relation to or connection with or necessary dependence on another thing

Relative (adjective)

  1. relevant, pertinent
  2. not absolute or independent, comparative
  3. introducing a subordinate clause qualifying an expressed or implied antecedent; also, introduced by such a connective

Relative (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person connected with another by blood or marriage

    "it's always fun to see all your relatives at a big family gathering"

    similar: cousin, kin, kinsman, relation
    related: in-law, kissing cousin, kinswoman, blood, clan, family, folk, house, kindred, kinfolk, kinsfolk, line, lineage, people, race (archaic), stock, tribe

Relative (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being such only when compared to something else

    "after being crammed into a one-bedroom apartment, they lived in relative comfort in a two-bedroom house"

    similar: almost, approximate, comparative, near
    related: alike, comparable, similar, equal, equivalent
    opposite: absolute, complete, downright, out-and-out, outright, perfect, pure, unqualified
    near: genuine, real, true

  2. having to do with the matter at hand

    "I don't need the whole story, just the details that are relative to the case"

    similar: applicable, apposite, apropos, germane, material, pertinent, pointed, relevant, to the point
    related: appropriate, apt, fit, fitting, suitable, important, meaningful, significant, sensible, useful, admissible, allowable
    opposite: extraneous, immaterial, impertinent, inapplicable, inapposite, irrelative, irrelevant, pointless
    near: frivolous, inconsequential, insignificant, little, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant, meaningless, purposeless, senseless, useless, inappropriate, inapt, unsuitable, inadmissible

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Relative

The most common words with a similar meaning to Relative:

cousin, kin, kinsman, relation, almost, approximate, comparative, near, applicable, apposite, apropos, germane, material, pertinent, pointed, relevant, to the point

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Relative

Words with the opposite meaning of Relative:

absolute, complete, downright, out-and-out, outright, perfect, pure, unqualified, extraneous, immaterial, impertinent, inapplicable, inapposite, irrelative, irrelevant, pointless

Related Words for Relative

in-law, kissing cousin, kinswoman, blood, clan, family, folk, house, kindred, kinfolk, kinsfolk, line, lineage, people, race, stock, tribe, alike, comparable, similar, equal, equivalent, appropriate, apt, fit, fitting, suitable, important, meaningful, significant

Near Antonyms of Relative

genuine, real, true, frivolous, inconsequential, insignificant, little, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant, meaningless, purposeless, senseless, useless, inappropriate, inapt, unsuitable, inadmissible

Origin & Etymology of Relative

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Relative

Words & Phrases Containing Relative

relative humidity, relative to, relative wind, blood relative, it's all relative

Frequently Asked Questions about Relative

What does "Relative" mean?

"Relative" means a person connected with another by blood or marriage. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: a person connected with another by blood or marriage. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Relative"?

Other words for "Relative" include cousin, kin, kinsman, relation, almost, approximate, comparative and near. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Relative" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Relative"?

There are 51 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Relative". Common alternatives include cousin, kin, kinsman, relation, almost, approximate, comparative, near, applicable and apposite.

What is the opposite of "Relative"?

Antonyms of "Relative" include absolute, complete, downright, out-and-out, outright, perfect, pure and unqualified. Near antonyms include genuine, real, true and frivolous.

How do you use "Relative" in a sentence?

Examples of "Relative" in a sentence: "it's always fun to see all your relatives at a big family gathering"; "after being crammed into a one-bedroom apartment, they lived in relative comfort in a two-bedroom house"; "I don't need the whole story, just the details that are relative to the case".

Is "Relative" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Relative" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Relative" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Relative" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Relative"?

"Relative" is pronounced /ˈre-lə-tiv/ and divided into syllables as rel·a·tive.