respectively

adverb

re·​spec·​tive·​ly ri-ˈspek-tiv-lē How to pronounce respectively (audio)
1
: in the order given
Mary and Anne 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
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The rapid escalation of trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies has sunk stocks, rattling investors and industries by igniting fears of a repeat of the tit-for-tat tariff battle in spring, when levies on Chinese and American imports soared to around 145% and 120% respectively. John Liu, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025 Earlier in the night, Poehler and Fey portrayed Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem, respectively, in the cold open. Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2025 Feysa earned $100,000 for her win, with $75,000 and $50,000 going to Alemu and Shauri, respectively, for their finishes. Bette Canter, Sportico.com, 12 Oct. 2025 Jeremy Strong and Paul Walter Hauser costar in the biopic as Springsteen's manager, Jon Landau, and a guitar technician, respectively. Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for respectively

Word History

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of respectively was in 1602

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Cite this Entry

“Respectively.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/respectively. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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

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