[com.par.i.son] n [ME, fr. MF comparaison, fr. L comparation-, comparatio, fr. comparare] (14c) 1: the act or process of comparing: as a: the representing of one thing or person as similar to or like another b: an examination of two or more items to establish similarities and dissimilarities
2: identity of features: similarity "several points of ~ between the two"
3: the modification of an adjective or adverb to denote different levels of quality, quantity, or relation