Word Meanings - COMPARATIVE - Book Publishers vocabulary database

Expressing a degree greater or less than the positive degree of the quality denoted by an adjective or adverb. The comparative degree is formed from the positive by the use of -er, more, or less; as, brighter, more bright, or less bright.

Additional info about word: COMPARATIVE

Expressing a degree greater or less than the positive degree of the quality denoted by an adjective or adverb. The comparative degree is formed from the positive by the use of -er, more, or less; as, brighter, more bright, or less bright. Comparative sciences, those which are based on a comprehensive comparison of the range of objects or facts in any branch or department, and which aim to study out and treat of the fundamental laws or systems of relation pervading them; as, comparative anatomy, comparative physiology, comparative philology. (more info) 1. Of or pertaining to comparison. "The comparative faculty." Granvill. 2. Proceeding from, or by the method of, comparison; as, the comparative anatomy. 3. Estimated by comparison; relative; not positive or absolute, as compared with another thing or state. The recurrence of comparative warmth and cold. Whewell. The bubble, by reason of its comparative levity to the fluid that incloses it, would necessarily ascend to the top. Bentley.

Related words: (words related to COMPARATIVE)

• FORMALITY
  The dress prescribed for any body of men, academical, municipal, or sacerdotal. The doctors attending her in their formalities as far as Shotover. Fuller. 6. That which is formal; the formal part. It unties the inward knot of marriage, . . . while
• BRIGHT
  See I
• COMPARATIVELY
  According to estimate made by comparison; relatively; not positively or absolutely. With but comparatively few exceptions. Prescott.
• FORMICARY
  The nest or dwelling of a swarm of ants; an ant-hill.
• FORMULIZE
  To reduce to a formula; to formulate. Emerson.
• DENOTEMENT
  Sign; indication. Note: A word found in some editions of Shakespeare.
• ADJECTIVE
  1. Added to a substantive as an attribute; of the nature of an adjunct; as, an word sentence. 2. Not standing by itself; dependent. Adjective color, a color which requires to be fixed by some mordant or base to give it permanency. 3. Relating to
• FORMERLY
  In time past, either in time immediately preceding or at any indefinite distance; of old; heretofore.
• QUALITY
  1. The condition of being of such and such a sort as distinguished from others; nature or character relatively considered, as of goods; character; sort; rank. We lived most joyful, obtaining acquaintance with many of the city not of the meanest
• FORMICAROID
  Like or pertaining to the family Formicaridæ or ant thrushes.
• FORMIDABLY
  In a formidable manner.
• FORMICATE
  Resembling, or pertaining to, an ant or ants.
• FORME
  See PATTé
• FORMEDON
  A writ of right for a tenant in tail in case of a discontinuance of the estate tail. This writ has been abolished.
• FORMAT
  The shape and size of a book; hence, its external form. The older manuscripts had been written in a much larger format than that found convenient for university work. G. H. Putnam. One might, indeed, protest that the format is a little
• FORMYL
  A univalent radical, H.C:O, regarded as the essential residue of formic acid and aldehyde. Formerly, the radical methyl, CH3.
• ADVERBIALITY
  The quality of being adverbial. Earle.
• FORMALIZE
  1. To give form, or a certain form, to; to model. 2. To render formal.
• DENOTE
  1. To mark out plainly; to signify by a visible sign; to serve as the sign or name of; to indicate; to point out; as, the hands of the clock denote the hour. The better to denote her to the doctor. Shak. 2. To be the sign of; to betoken;
• FORMAL
  1. Belonging to the form, shape, frame, external appearance, or organization of a thing. 2. Belonging to the constitution of a thing, as distinguished from the matter composing it; having the power of making a thing what it is; constituent;
• INFORMITY
  Want of regular form; shapelessness.
• OMNIFORMITY
  The condition or quality of having every form. Dr. H. More.
• FALCIFORM
  Having the shape of a scithe or sickle; resembling a reaping hook; as, the falciform ligatment of the liver.
• DEFORMER
  One who deforms.
• DIVERSIFORM
  Of a different form; of varied forms.
• VARIFORM
  Having different shapes or forms.
• PREFORM
  To form beforehand, or for special ends. "Their natures and preformed faculties. " Shak.
• RESINIFORM
  Having the form of resin.
• BIFORM
  Having two forms, bodies, or shapes. Croxall.
• VILLIFORM
  Having the form or appearance of villi; like close-set fibers, either hard or soft; as, the teeth of perch are villiform.
• REFORMALIZE
  To affect reformation; to pretend to correctness.
• FULL-FORMED
  Full in form or shape; rounded out with flesh. The full-formed maids of Afric. Thomson.
• SCORIFORM
  In the form of scoria.
• MALCONFORMATION
  Imperfect, disproportionate, or abnormal formation; ill form; disproportion of parts.
• PENNIFORM
  Having the form of a feather or plume.
• REFORMATIVE
  Forming again; having the quality of renewing form; reformatory. Good.
• DENDRIFORM
  Resembling in structure a tree or shrub.
• WELL-INFORMED
  Correctly informed; provided with information; well furnished with authentic knowledge; intelligent.