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/kəmpˈɛrətɪv/ Listen

adjective

Comparative adj.

1.

Of or pertaining to comparison. "The comparative faculty."

2.

Proceeding from, or by the method of, comparison; as, the comparative sciences; the comparative anatomy.

3.

Estimated by comparison; relative; not positive or absolute, as compared with another thing or state. "The recurrence of comparative warmth and cold." "The bubble, by reason of its comparative levity to the fluid that incloses it, would necessarily ascend to the top."

4.

(Gram.) Expressing a degree greater or less than the positive degree of the quality denoted by an adjective or adverb. The comparative degree is formed from the positive by the use of -er, more, or less; as, brighter, more bright, or less bright.

Comparative sciences, those which are based on a comprehensive comparison of the range of objects or facts in any branch or department, and which aim to study out and treat of the fundamental laws or systems of relation pervading them; as, comparative anatomy, comparative physiology, comparative philology.

noun

Comparative n. (Gram.)

1.

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. "In comparatives is expressed a relation of two; as in superlatives there is a relation of many."

2.

An equal; a rival; a compeer. (Obs.) "Gerard ever was His full comparative."

3.

One who makes comparisons; one who affects wit. (Obs.) "Every beardless vain comparative."

See images of 'Comparative'

Etymology of 'Comparative'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Comparative" Quotes from Famous Books

... meeting of the citizens at the court-house in the evening. Business ceased entirely; all was excitement; for a time there were no party distinctions; all were Union men, determined to avenge the insult to the national flag. In the evening the court-house was packed. Although a comparative stranger I was called upon to preside; the sole reason, possibly, was that I had been in the army and had seen service. With much embarrassment and some prompting I made out to announce the object of the meeting. ...

— Memoirs of Three Civil War Generals, Complete • U. S. Grant, W. T. Sherman, P. H. Sheridan

... boiled some rain water, which was soon converted into soup. This, and the exercise necessary for the performance of these several duties, warmed and partially dried them, so that when they once more mounted their steeds and rode away they were in a state of comparative comfort and in excellent spirits. The only annoyance was the clouds of mosquitoes and large flies that assailed men and horses whenever ...

— The Dog Crusoe and his Master • R.M. Ballantyne

... adversaries have pursued towards you as unwise, unjust and unconstitutional. They are the sentiments of a man who, if he had the power to punish the persons who first rose you from poverty, ignominy and ruin, to comparative affluence and popular notoriety, would have sent the destroyers of your press to less favoured regions. They are the sentiments of one who had up to the publication of the letter ... regarded you as a man attached to the institutions of your country.... It ...

— The Story of the Upper Canada Rebellion, Volume 1 • John Charles Dent

... to have consisted of two detachments of fifty each, being just twice their number—speedily reassured them, and falling in line with this powerful reinforcement, the whole hundred and fifty charged upon our comparative handful of travellers, at a rapid pace. Huertis promptly ordered his little party to halt, and form in line, two deep, with presented arms; and doubtless feeling that, notwithstanding the disparity of numbers, the enemy, armed only with spears and ...

— Memoir of an Eventful Expedition in Central America • Pedro Velasquez

... On looking to these returns, therefore, it was clear that the amount of British shipping had increased in a far greater proportion than that of all foreign nations put together. Such being the case, we were certainly not in such a situation as was calculated to excite alarm with respect to the comparative growth of British and foreign shipping. Even if the latter had increased last year, it formed no ground for alarm, because it might be fairly attributed to the unusual demand for shipping produced by the prevailing spirit ...

— The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. - From George III. to Victoria • E. Farr and E. H. Nolan

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