respectively

adverb

re·​spec·​tive·​ly ri-ˈspek-tiv-lē 

1

: in the order given

My cousin and I were respectively 12 and 16 years old.

2

: in particular : separately

could not recognize the solutions as salty or sour, respectively

Examples of respectively in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Friday, July 31-Saturday, August 1The Delta Aquariid and Alpha Capricornid meteor showers reach their peak activity overnight, boasting about 25 and 5 meteors per hour, respectively, according to the American Meteor Society. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

But recent hires in Spokane and Reno, both nearby airports with fewer passengers, offered higher compensation at $375,000 and $400,000 respectively. — Idaho Statesman, 26 July 2026

Frawley decided to prank Vance with the help of Barry and Stanley Livingston, who played Ernie and Chip Douglas on the show, respectively. — Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 26 July 2026

But Nicholas Vincent and Brent Hecht, researchers from Simon Fraser University and Northwestern University, respectively, caution against this approach. — Trevor Laurence Jockims, CNBC, 26 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for respectively

• ineffectively
• retrospectively
• affectively
• collectively
• defectively
• effectively
• objectively
• prospectively
• protectively
• reflectively
• selectively
• subjectively

Kids Definition

respectively

adverb

re·​spec·​tive·​ly

ri-ˈspek-tiv-lē

: each in the order given

John and Mary were 12 and 13 years old respectively