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Comparative Definition

comparative

Contents

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

Adjective

comparative (comparative more comparative, superlative most comparative)

  1. Of or relating to comparison.
  2. Using comparison as a method of study, or founded on something using it.
  3. Approximated by comparison; relative.
  4. (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.

Derived terms

Noun

Wikipedia has an article on: Comparative

Wikipedia comparative (plural comparatives)

  1. (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.
  2. (grammar) A word in the comparative form.

Translations

grammatical construction
word in comparative form

Related terms

References


Italian

Adjective

comparative f.

  1. feminine plural form of comparativo

Anagrams


Latin

Adjective

comparātīve

  1. 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.
from: Wikipedia: comparative,
Sat Jan 14 00:11:19 2012

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from: Wikiquote: comparative,
Wed Nov 9 10:57:38 2011