Representative Meaning
/ˌɹɛpɹɪˈzɛnt(ət)ɪv/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjTypical; having the same properties or interest as a larger group.
adjRepresenting, showing a likeness.
Sentence Examples
Are your opinions representative of those of the other students?
All the students recognized her as their representative.
Is a questionnaire answered by 500 people truly representative of the population as a whole?
CEFR Practice Quiz
The company sent a ____ to negotiate the new contract with the union.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The sales ____ visited the client twice a year to review the contract and discuss new opportunities.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English representative, from Middle French representatif and its etymon Medieval Latin repraesentātīvus. By surface analysis, represent + -ative; See representation.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"THE POCKET ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF BRITISH STEAM LOCOMOTIVES. By O. S. Nock. Blandford Press. 18s.
Mr. Nock, he remarks in his preface, was "incredulous" when the idea of this book of 192 colour gravure illustrations of a representative collection of British steam locomotives from Locomotion to BR's Evening Star was broached to him."
— 1964 December, “New Books”, in Modern Railways, page 429:
"Each vessel in the Fleet has the right to send representatives to the Conclave aboard the flagship. The number of representatives is based on crew size. Larger clans, with bigger ships and more votes, form the cores of political blocs. Opposition comes from the Outriders' Coalition, with delegates from thousands of smaller ships."
— 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Quarians: Government Codex entry:
"This pathetic remonstrance had the desired effect upon his representative, who spared no pains to fulfill the request of the deceased […]."
— 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC:
"The furniture was the same when she married..[ ]..The only representatives of to-day, were two large and comfortable arm-chairs, and a few elegant-looking trifles, the work of the Misses Granard."
— 1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “(please specify the page)”, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, pages 131–133:
"The USS Manila Bay, in the next group south of Taffy 3, services aircraft from eleven different squadrons that aren't attached to her own flight group, and, at one point, has representatives from no less than four other carriers' airgroups on her flight deck at the same time."
— 2019 February 27, Drachinifel, 28:07 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?, archived from the original on 03 Nov 2022:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The company sent a ____ to negotiate the new contract with the union.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The sales ____ visited the client twice a year to review the contract and discuss new opportunities.