All 4 Uses of
relative
in
Burned, by Ellen Hopkins
- Relatively harmless.†
relatively = in comparison to something else
- As for Becca and Emily and the rest of my seminary crowd, well, they'd always been relatively worthless, anyway.†
*
- Except for a tense second or two as my pants stretched quite tightly at the rear, I climbed on with relative ease.†
- Safety was a relative term.†
Definitions:
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(1)
(relative as in: the relative importance) compared with something else (not an absolute value or not complete)
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(2)
(relative as in: they are relatives) connectedin various senses, including:
- a person related by blood or marriage -- as in "The hospital won't let me visit her because I'm not a relative."
- a plant or animal related by origin or grouping -- "The closest relative of the dog is the gray wolf."
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(3)
(relative as in: questions relative to the topic) related to
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(4)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
More specialized and less common senses of the word are found in philosophy, grammar, and music. Consult a comprehensive dictionary if you wish to see those. All senses have to do with relationships.