Comparative Definition
comparative
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English
Etymology
Originated 1400–50 from late Middle English comparative, from Latin comparativus, equivalent to comparatus from comparare (“to compare”) + -ive from Latin -ivus.
Pronunciation
- (UK, US) IPA: /kəmˈpæɹ.ə.tɪf/, SAMPA: /k@m"p{r.@.tIf/
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Audio (US) (file)
Adjective
comparative (comparative more comparative, superlative most comparative)
- Of or relating to comparison.
- Using comparison as a method of study, or founded on something using it.
- Approximated by comparison; relative.
- (obsolete) Comparable; bearing comparison.
- 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, II.137:
- And need he had of slumber yet, for none / Had suffered more—his hardships were comparative / To those related in my grand-dad's Narrative.
- 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, II.137:
Derived terms
- comparatively
- comparativeness
- comparativism
- comparativist
- comparativistic
Noun
Wikipedia has an article on: ComparativeWikipedia comparative (plural comparatives)
- (grammar) A construction showing a relative quality, in English usually formed by adding more or appending -er. For example, the comparative of green is greener; of evil, more evil.
- (grammar) A word in the comparative form.
Translations
grammatical construction
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Related terms
- absolute, absolute superlative, relative superlative, comparative superlative
- degrees of comparison
- superlative
References
- “comparative” in The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000.
- “comparative” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.
- "comparative" in WordNet 3.0, Princeton University, 2006.
Italian
Adjective
comparative f.
- feminine plural form of comparativo
Anagrams
Latin
Adjective
comparātīve
- vocative masculine singular of comparātīvus
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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 than that of another, and is used in this context with a subordinating conjunction, such as than, as...as, etc. If three or more items are being compared, the corresponding superlative needs to be used instead.
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