comparative

comparative
comparatively, adv.comparativeness, n.
/keuhm par"euh tiv/, adj.
1. of or pertaining to comparison.
2. proceeding by, founded on, or using comparison as a method of study: comparative anatomy.
3. estimated by comparison; not positive or absolute; relative: a comparative newcomer in politics; to live in comparative luxury.
4. Gram. being, noting, or pertaining to the intermediate degree of the comparison of adjectives, as better and more beautiful, the comparative forms of good and beautiful, and of adverbs, as nearer and more carefully, the comparative forms of near and carefully. Cf. positive (def. 20), superlative (def. 2).
n. Gram.
5. the comparative degree.
6. a form in the comparative.
[1400-50; late ME < L comparativus, equiv. to comparat(us) (ptp. of comparare to COMPARE; see -ATE1) + -ivus -IVE]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Comparative — Com*par a*tive, a. [L. comparativus: cf. F. comparatif.] 1. Of or pertaining to comparison. The comparative faculty. Glanvill. [1913 Webster] 2. Proceeding from, or by the method of, comparison; as, the comparative sciences; the comparative… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • comparative — com·par·a·tive /kəm par ə tiv/ adj: characterized by systematic comparison comparative contribution, which apportions according to...respective fault W. L. Prosser and W. P. Keeton com·par·a·tive·ly adv Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law.… …   Law dictionary

  • Comparative — Com*par a*tive, n. (Gram.) The comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs; also, the form by which the comparative degree is expressed; as, stronger, wiser, weaker, more stormy, less windy, are all comparatives. [1913 Webster] In comparatives… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • comparative — [kəm par′ə tiv] adj. [ME < L comparativus] 1. that compares; involving comparison as a method, esp. in a branch of study [comparative linguistics] 2. estimated by comparison with something else; relative [a comparative success] 3. Gram.… …   English World dictionary

  • comparative — mid 15c., from M.Fr. comparatif, from L. comparativus pertaining to comparison, from comparatus, pp. of comparare (see COMPARISON (Cf. comparison)). Originally grammatical; general sense is from c.1600; meaning involving different branches of a… …   Etymology dictionary

  • comparative — [adj] approximate, close to allusive, analogous, approaching, by comparison, comparable, conditional, connected, contingent, contrastive, correlative, corresponding, equivalent, in proportion, like, matching, metaphorical, near, not absolute, not …   New thesaurus

  • comparative — ► ADJECTIVE 1) measured or judged by comparison; relative. 2) involving comparison between two or more subjects or branches of science. 3) (of an adjective or adverb) expressing a higher degree of a quality, but not the highest possible (e.g.… …   English terms dictionary

  • Comparative — For other uses, see Comparative (disambiguation). In grammar, the comparative is the form of an adjective or adverb which denotes the degree or grade by which a person, thing, or other entity has a property or quality greater or less in extent… …   Wikipedia

  • comparative — com|par|a|tive1 [kəmˈpærətıv] adj 1.) comparative comfort/freedom/wealth etc comfort etc that is quite good when compared to how comfortable, free, or rich etc something or someone else is = ↑relative ▪ After a lifetime of poverty, his last few… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • comparative — [[t]kəmpæ̱rətɪv[/t]] comparatives 1) ADJ: ADJ n You use comparative to show that you are judging something against a previous or different situation. For example, comparative calm is a situation which is calmer than before or calmer than the… …   English dictionary

  • comparative — 1 adjective 1 comparative comfort/freedom/wealth etc comfort, freedom etc that is fairly satisfactory when compared to another state of comfort etc: After a lifetime of poverty, his last few years were spent in comparative comfort. 2 comparative… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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