representative

¹rep·re·sen·ta·tive

adj \ˌre-pri-ˈzen-tə-tiv\

Definition of REPRESENTATIVE

1

: serving to represent

2

a : standing or acting for another especially through delegated authority b : of, based on, or constituting a government in which the many are represented by persons chosen from among them usually by election

3

: serving as a typical or characteristic example <a representative moviegoer>

4

: of or relating to representation or representationalism

— rep·re·sen·ta·tive·ly adverb

— rep·re·sen·ta·tive·ness noun

— rep·re·sen·ta·tiv·i·ty \-ˌzen-tə-ˈti-və-tē\ noun

Examples of REPRESENTATIVE

1. The paintings are representative of English art in the early 19th century.
2. The students chosen for the survey are a fairly representative sample of college students from across the U.S.

First Known Use of REPRESENTATIVE

14th century

Related to REPRESENTATIVE

Synonyms: archetypal (also archetypical), average, characteristic, normal, regular, typical, standard, true

Antonyms: aberrant, abnormal, anomalous, atypical, deviant, irregular, nonrepresentative, nontypical, untypical

Related Words: common, commonplace, conventional, customary, everyday, ordinary, usual, wonted, workaday; classic, textbook, vintage; expected, familiar, habitual, predictable, routine, unexceptional, unremarkable; predominant, preponderant

Near Antonyms: uncommon, unconventional, uncustomary, unusual, unwonted; distinctive, especial, exceptional, extraordinary, infrequent, noteworthy, rare, remarkable, singular, special, unexpected, unfamiliar, unique, unpredictable; eccentric, idiosyncratic, nonconformist, peculiar, unknown, unorthodox; curious, erratic, funky, funny, odd, oddball, offbeat, outlandish, quirky, screwy, strange, wacky (also whacky), way-out; bizarre, fantastic (also fantastical), far-out, freak, freakish, kooky (also kookie), out-of-the-way, outrageous, outré, rare, singular, unnatural, weird, wild

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Rhymes with REPRESENTATIVE

argumentative