comparative

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
▪ After a lifetime of poverty, his last few years were spent in comparable comfort.
▪ She didn't want to leave the comparative safety of the shelter.
2.) comparative study/analysis etc
a study etc that involves comparing something to something else
▪ a comparative study of the US and British steel industries
3.) comparative beginner/newcomer etc
someone who is not really a beginner etc, but who seems to be one when compared to other people who have lived or worked somewhere for a long time
▪ After living here five years, we're still considered comparative newcomers.
4.) comparative figures/data
comparative figures etc are similar to other figures, so that you can make a comparison
▪ Comparative figures for last year clearly show how sales have declined.
5.) technical the comparative form of an adjective or adverb shows an increase in size, quality, degree etc when it is considered in relation to something else. For example, 'bigger' is the comparative form of 'big', and 'more slowly' is the comparative form of 'slowly'
comparative 2
comparative2 n
the comparative
technical the form of an adjective or adverb that shows an increase in size, degree etc when something is considered in relation to something else. For example, 'bigger' is the comparative of 'big', and 'more slowly' is the comparative of 'slowly'.
→↑the superlative

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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 — [[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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