Etymologically
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relative

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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
  • 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