# comparative
## English
### Etymology

From Middle English comparatif, from Middle French comparatif, from Latin comparātīvus, equivalent to comparātus, from comparāre (“to compare”) + -ive, from Latin -īvus.

### Pronunciation

* (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /kəmˈpæɹ.ə.tɪv/
* (General American) enPR: kəmʹpăr-ə-tĭv
** (without the Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA: /kəmˈpæɹ.ə.tɪv/
** (Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA: /kəmˈpɛɹ.ə.tɪv/
* Audio (New England, without the Mary–marry–merry merger):(file)
* Audio (US, Mary–marry–merry merger):(file)
* Hyphenation: com‧par‧a‧tive

### Adjective

comparative (comparative more comparative, superlative most comparative)
* Of or relating to comparison.
** 1773, James Burnett, Of the Origin and Progress of Language:that kind of animals that have the comparative faculty, by which they compare things together, deliberate and resolve
    (Can we add an example for this sense?)
* Using comparison as a method of study, or founded on something using it.
    comparative anatomy
** 1960 December, “Talking of Trains: The riding of B.R. coaches”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 705–706:After all, it is undeniable that the B.R. standard coach scored highly in comparative trials with other European railway vehicles on the Continent a few years ago, so that B.R. civil engineers must share responsibility for any defects in its behaviour over here.
* Approximated by comparison; relative.
** 2016 October 24, Owen Gibson, “Is the unthinkable happening – are people finally switching the football off?”, in The Guardian‎, London:The Olympics, the weather and a comparative lack of heavyweight clashes so far this season have been cited as reasons for the drop in viewers.
** 1837, William Whewell, History of the Inductive Sciences:The recurrence of comparative warmth and cold.
** 1692, Richard Bentley, A Confutation of Atheism:This bubble, […] by reason of its comparative levity to the fluid that encloses it, would necessarily ascend to the top.
* (obsolete) Comparable; bearing comparison.
** 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, II.137:And need he had of slumber yet, for none / Had suffered more—his hardships were comparative / To those related in my grand-dad's Narrative.

#### Derived terms

* comparatist
* comparatively
* comparativeness
* comparativism
* comparativist
* comparativistic
* macrocomparative
* noncomparative
* comparative advantage
* comparative anatomy
* comparative case
* comparative degree
* comparative ethics
* comparative illusion
* comparative linguist
* comparative linguistics
* comparative literature
* comparative method
* comparative superlative

#### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

### Noun

comparative (plural comparatives)
* (grammar) A construction showing a relative quality, in English usually formed by adding more or appending -er. For example, the comparative of green is greener; of evil, more evil.
* (grammar) A word in the comparative form.
* (chiefly in the plural) Data used to make a comparison.
** 2010, Barry Smith, Introductory Financial Accounting and Reporting, page 171:Investment ratios are positive. Comparative or trend data are required to draw final conclusions. The absence of comparatives and trend data constrains the conclusions.
* (obsolete) An equal; a rival; a compeer.
** c. 1608–1613, Nathan Field, John Fletcher, “Four Playes, or Morall Representations, in One”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act , (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):Gerrard ever was / His full comparative.
* (obsolete) One who makes comparisons; one who affects wit.
** c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], line 67:Every beardless vain comparative.

#### Synonyms

* (grammar: degree): comparative degree

#### Translations
### Related terms

* absolute comparative
* degrees of comparison
* superlative

### See also

* absolute superlative, relative superlative, comparative superlative
* contrastive

### References

* “comparative”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2000, →ISBN.
* “comparative”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
* "comparative" in WordNet 2.0, Princeton University, 2003.

### Anagrams

* vampire taco

## French
### Pronunciation

* Audio:(file)

### Adjective

comparative
* feminine singular of comparatif

## Italian
### Adjective

comparative
* feminine plural of comparativo

### Anagrams

* comparivate, crepitavamo, imporcavate

## Latin
### Adjective

comparātīve
* vocative masculine singular of comparātīvus

### References

* “comparative”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press