Definition of relative
(Entry 1 of 2)
relative
adjectiveDefinition of relative (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: introducing a subordinate clause qualifying an expressed or implied antecedent
a relative pronoun
also
: introduced by such a connective
a relative clause
3
: not absolute or independent : comparative
the relative isolation of life in the country
4
: having the same key signature
—used of major and minor keys and scales
5
: expressed as the ratio of the specified quantity (such as an error in measuring) to the total magnitude (such as the value of a measured quantity) or to the mean of all the quantities involved
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for relative
The first known use of relative was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century