relatively

English Online Dictionary. What means relatively‎? What does relatively mean?

English

Etymology

relative +‎ -ly

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹɛl.ə.tɪv.li/
  • (US, Canada) IPA^(key): (enunciated) [ˈɹɛl.ə.tʰɪv.li], (flapped) [ˈɹɛl.ə.ɾɪv.li]

Adverb

relatively (not comparable)

1. In a relative manner; with reference to environment or competition; contextually or comparatively.
2. (sometimes proscribed) Somewhat; fairly.

Usage notes

The word literally means "compared with", but some now use relatively to mean "moderately" or "somewhat" (perhaps in the sense of "compared to the average/expectation"), which is sometimes proscribed. Its overall acceptability comes from the implied comparison to some standard, usually what is considered normal or average in the context of what is being evaluated. For example, "He was relatively successful" implies "He was relatively successful compared to the average person."

Derived terms

• relatively prime

Translations

Notes