representative Hear it!

representative definition

rep·re·senta·tive (rep′rə zen′tə tiv)

adjective

  1. representing or serving to represent; specif.,
    1. picturing; portraying; reproducing
    2. acting or speaking, esp. by due authority, in the place or on behalf of another or others; esp., serving as a delegate in a legislative assembly
  2. composed of persons duly authorized, as by election, to act and speak for others a representative assembly
  3. of, characterized by, or based on representation of the people by elected delegates representative government
  4. being an example or type of a certain class or kind of thing; typical a building representative of modern architecture

Etymology: ME < MFr or ML: MFr représentatif < ML repraesentativus

noun

  1. a person or thing enough like the others in its class or kind to serve as an example or type
  2. a person duly authorized to act or speak for another or others; specif.,
    1. a member of a legislative assembly
    2. a salesman or agent for a business firm
  3. ☆ a member of the lower house of Congress (House of Representatives) or of a State legislature

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

law representative definition - legal

representative Synonyms

representative

modif.

  1. Characteristic

    typical, symbolic, illustrative, emblematic; see characteristic, illustrative, typical.

  2. Characterized by representation by elected delegates

    democratic, elected, representational; see democratic, republican.


representative

n.

  1. An emissary

    deputy, spokesperson, sales agent; see agent 1, delegate, diplomat 1.

    Diplomatic and consular representatives include: envoy, ambassador, consul, deputy, emissary, legate, minister, plenipotentiary, nuncio, attaché, diplomatic agent, chancellor, commissioner.

  2. One who is elected to the lower legislative body

    congressman, congresswoman, assemblyman, assemblywoman, councilman, councilwoman, councilperson, member of congress, member of parliament, deputy, legislator, councilor, Speaker of the House; see also legislator, senator.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

representative Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • elect: The BNP now has no elected representatives in London.

Adjective modifier

  • elected: Every one of our elected representatives had to make their choice.

Noun used with modifier

  • safety: Young workers - a guide for safety representatives, TUC [ pdf ]. TUC young workers ' webpages.
  • union: In the past he had been a union representative.
representative usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

representative quotes

I am a Catholic. As far as possible I go to Mass every day. Asfaraspossible Ikneeldownandtell these beadsevery day. If you reject me on account of my religion, I shall thank God that he has spared me the indignity of being your representative.

-Belloc, (Joseph) Hilaire Pierre

I am not charmed with the ideal of life held out by those who think that the normal state of human beings is that of struggling to get on. I know not why it should be a matter of congratulation that persons who are already richer than any one needs to be, should have doubled their means of consuming things which give little or no pleasure except as representative of wealth.

-Mill,John Stuart

I believe the intellectual life of the whole of western society is increasingly being split into two polar groups† Literary intellectuals at one poleöat the other scientists, and as the most representative, the physical scientists. Between the two a gulf of mutual incomprehension.

-Snow, C(harles) P(ercy), 1st Baron

representative quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"representative." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/representative>

APA Style

representative. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/representative

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