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relative
[ˈɹɛl.ə.tʰɪv]
As a noun, the word describes family connections. It is more formal than "kin" and broader than "immediate family," often used to describe distant or vague genealogical links. As an adjective, it describes a value that shifts based on its context. It stands in direct opposition to "absolute." While "absolute" implies a fixed point of truth, "relative" suggests a sliding scale where meaning depends entirely on the benchmark being used. In casual conversation, calling something "relative" often implies a sense of subjectivity—that one person's version of 'difficult' or 'fast' may be different from another's.
💬Trò chuyện
Victoria, the quarterly dip is just relative to our spiritual growth.
The board doesn't give a toss about spirituality when we're bleeding cash.
Ý nghĩa
Considered in relation or proportion to something else.
"The relative ease of the test surprised many students."
Existing or possessing a characteristic only in comparison to something else; not absolute.
"The speed of light is an absolute constant, whereas velocity is relative."
Ví dụ
Is he a close relative or just some distant cousin?
Look, the relative humidity in here is absolutely killing me!
I just don't think we have any relative merit here.
My relative wealth is nothing compared to your fancy car!
She's a distant relative, but she acts like she owns us.
Wait, is this relative to the original claim you made?
I can't believe some random relative is crashing our wedding!
The relative speed of these two cars is just insane.
Everything is relative, so stop acting like you're a saint!
I need to call my relative before the flight leaves.