comparative

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Measured or judged by comparing one thing with another; relative.

   After the noisy city, they enjoyed the comparative quiet of the countryside.

2. 2
   adj

   Based on comparing two or more things.

   She is writing a comparative study of two ancient cultures.

3. 3
   noun

   The form of an adjective or adverb used to compare two things, such as 'faster' or 'better'.

   'Faster' is the comparative of the adjective 'fast'.

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Latin pār Latin compār Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin comparō Proto-Indo-European *-wósder. Latin -īvus Latin comparātīvusbor. Old French comparatifbor. Middle English comparatif English comparative From Middle English comparatif, from Middle French comparatif, from Latin comparātīvus, equivalent to comparātus, from comparāre (“to compare”) + -ive, from Latin -īvus.

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