Word family noun comparison comparability the comparative adjective comparable ≠ incomparable comparative verb compare adverb comparatively comparably
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcomparativecom‧par‧a‧tive1 /kəmˈpærətɪv/ ●○○ adjective 1 → comparative comfort/freedom/wealth etc2 → comparative study/analysis etc3 → comparative beginner/newcomer etc4 → comparative figures/data5 SLG technical the comparative form of an adjective or adverb shows an increase in size, quality, degree etc when it is considered in relation to something else. For example, ‘bigger’ is the comparative form of ‘big’, and ‘more slowly’ is the comparative form of ‘slowly’. → superlativeExamples from the Corpus
comparative• The former agent did a comparative analysis of the manifesto and five pages of letters and essays authored by Theodore.• Comparative figures Prior year comparative figures have been restated to conform to the current year's presentation where appropriate.• Therefore they shed light on the comparative institutional questions with which we are concerned.• For comparative purposes, the team also took a similar set of readings on human walkers.• Fresh fruit and vegetables have become a comparative rarity in the region.• He was ridden down before he could reach the comparative safety of his parsonage at Yateley.• During the bombings, families sheltered in the comparative safety of the underground rail stations.• Coming from a few rooms in Creek Lane, the Sisters may have wondered at the comparative spaciousness of their new surroundings.• The comparative weight of the evidence is, however, peculiarly the function of the trial judge who has heard the witnesses.• Finally, Chapter 8 examines the comparative work on democratic institutions and democratic performance.comparativecomparative2 noun → the comparativeExamples from the Corpus
comparative• If anything, they served to intensify the boredom by providing a comparative.• The so-called secondary categories consist of almost equally linguistic concepts: negation and opposition, comparatives, modes, and so on.• Another section is devoted entirely to grammar drills, including the use of prepositions, comparatives, negatives and verb tenses.• Through tower building there is a development of vocabulary from the original big and small to more selective comparatives.• Again, this served to distort the comparatives. 