1relative (to sth) when compared to sb/sth else 与…相比的;比较上的;相对的:
the position of the earth relative to the sun地球相对于太阳的位置They live in relative luxury.他们的生活过得比较奢华。
2 (grammar语法) referring to an earlier noun, sentence or part of a sentence 与前述名词、短语或句子相关联的;表示关系的:
In the phrase ‘the lady who lives next door’, ‘who’ is a relative pronoun and ‘who lives next door’ is a relative clause.在the lady who lives next door这个短语中,who是关系代词,who lives next door是关系从句。 For more information about relative pronouns and clauses, look at the Quick Grammar Reference section at the back of this dictionary. 有关关系代词和关系从句的详细用法,参看本词典末“语法便览”部份。
*relative²
/ˈrelətɪv ||; ˈrɛlətɪv/noun
[C] a member of your family 亲戚;亲属:
a close/distant relative近亲;远亲 [SYN] relation 同义词为relation
relative1/ˋrɛlətIv; ˈrelətIv/n [C] your relatives are the other members of your family [ relation ] 亲属﹔亲戚: He's staying with relatives. 他和亲戚在一起。an elderly relative 老年亲戚close/distant relative She has no close relatives. 她没有近亲。THESAURUS 同类词parents 家长﹐父母father/mother 父亲/母亲dad/daddy informal 【非正式】爸爸 /mum/mummy BrE informal 【英,非正式】妈妈/mom/mommy AmE informal 【美,非正式】妈妈brother/sister 兄弟/姐妹grandparents (外)祖父母grandfather/grandmother (外)祖父/(外)祖母grandpa/grandma informal 【非正式】爷爷﹐外公/奶奶﹐外婆great-grandparents 曾(外)祖父母uncle/aunt 叔叔﹐伯伯﹐舅舅﹐姨父﹐姑父/阿姨﹐姨妈﹐婶婶﹐伯母﹐舅妈nephew/niece 侄子﹐外甥/侄女﹐外甥女cousin 堂兄[弟﹐姐﹐妹]﹔表兄[弟﹐姐﹐妹]
relative2adj 1 having a particular quality when compared with similar things 比较的﹐相对的: a period of relative peace 一段相对和平的时期2 relative to sthformal compared with something else【正式】与某事物相比较