relative

Pronunciation

• IPA: UK /ˈrel.ə.tɪv/, US /ˈrel.ə.t̬ɪv/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English relatif, borrowed from Old French relatif and directly from Late Latin relātīvus (“having reference or relation”),^[2][3] from Latin relātus, used as the past participle of referre “to bring back, refer”,^[2][3] from re- “back” and lātus “borne, carried”.^[2] It is related to relate and refer.^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In grammar, a word referring to an antecedent, a relative pronoun: 1387 in Barnhart, in Piers Plowman, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^[3][2] The adjective, having reference to something, is from the early 15th century.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

A person or thing standing in relation to another is from before 1430,^[3] and a member of the same family from 1657.^[3][2] The adjective meaning “having mutual relationship” is from the 1590s,^[2][5] pertinent or relevant from 1602,^[5] arising from or depending on relation to something else from the 1610s,^[2][5] and not absolute by 1704.^[2][5] In music, relative keys share the same key signature (1818).^[5]

Timeline

• 1387 – a relative word.^[3]
• c. 1430 – something related to another.^[3]
• 1594 – mutually related.^[5]
• 1611 – depending on relation.^[5]
• 1657 – a kinsman or kinswoman.^[3]
• 1704 – not absolute.^[5]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A member of one's family.
2. Something related to another thing, such as a species.

Adjective

1. Considered in comparison with something else: relative comfort.
2. Existing or having meaning only in relation to something else; not absolute.
3. (grammar) Referring to an earlier word, as who in a relative clause.
4. relative to: in comparison with, or concerning.

Word family

• relativeness
• relatively
• unrelative
• relative clause
• relative density
• relative bearing
• relative frequency
• relative humidity

Related words

• correlative
• irrelative
• relate
• relativism
• relativist
• relativistic
• relativity
• refer
• referral
• relation
• relationship

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
4. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press