Etymology From Middle French relatif, from Late Latin relātīvus, from Latin relātus, perfect passive participle of referō (“to carry back, to ascribe”), from re- (“again”) + ferō (“to bear or carry”). By surface analysis, relate + -ive.
1
Connected to or depending on something else; comparative.
We've been discussing the relative merits of various methods of transportation.
I once knew a case—possibly I read of it—where a pack of cards lay on the floor. It was a murder case and the guilt or innocence of an accused man depended on the relative positions of the fifty-first and fifty-second cards.1914, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados:
2 more examples
For Liverpool, their season will now be regarded as a relative disappointment after failure to add the FA Cup to the Carling Cup and not mounting a challenge to reach the Champions League places.2012 May 5, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 10 Dec 2022:
It is thought that the autistic mind is more intimately connected with objective reality via its external sensory focus on reality and its superior understanding of physical causality, relative to neurotypical persons (Baron-Cohen et al. 1999; Paganini and Gaido 2013) and is therefore less susceptible to supernatural experiences or explanations.2018 November 12, Jerry Stuger, “Autism and Religious Beliefs: Clues from Kafka Research”, in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, volume 49, →DOI, pages 1559–1569:
2
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, SciencesOf a URL Expressed in relation to another item, rather than in complete form.
Path; or similar; path; or similar
The relative URL /images/pic.jpg, when evaluated in the context of http://example.com/index.html, corresponds to the absolute URL http://example.com/images/pic.jpg.
3
Grammar, Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences Depending on an antecedent; comparative.
The words “big” and “small” are relative.
4
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music Having the same key but differing in being major or minor.
The Spirit that I haue ſeene May be the Diuell, and the Diuel hath power T'aſſume a pleaſing ſhape, yea and perhaps Out of my Weakneſſe, and my Melancholly, As he is very potent with ſuch Spirits, Abuſes me to damne me. Ile haue grounds More Relatiue then this: The play's the thing, Wherein Ile catch the Conſcience of the King.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 264, column 2:
6
Capable to be changed by other beings or circumstance; conditional.
Etymology From Middle French relatif, from Late Latin relātīvus, from Latin relātus, perfect passive participle of referō (“to carry back, to ascribe”), from re- (“again”) + ferō (“to bear or carry”). By surface analysis, relate + -ive.
1
Someone connected by blood, marriage, or adoption; someone in the same family.
The eldest son was usually given the name of his paternal grandfather, later children those of other relatives.1945, E[lizabeth] G[idley] Withycombe, “Introduction”, in The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page xiii:
In 2008, the leader of a pro-government union accused Flores of nepotism after she reportedly hired at least 40 relatives to work within the National Assembly.2026 January 5, Callum Sutherland, “Who Is Cilia Flores? What to Know About Maduro’s Wife Amid Fall of Venezuela's First Couple”, in TIME, archived from the original on 10 Jan 2026:
2
Figuratively Something kindred or related to something else.
3
Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences A type of adjective that inflects like a relative clause, rather than a true adjective, in certain Bantu languages.