COMPARATIVE


Meaning of COMPARATIVE in English

adj. & n.

--adj.

1. perceptible by comparison; relative (in comparative comfort).

2 estimated by comparison (the comparative merits of the two ideas).

3 of or involving comparison (esp. of sciences etc.).

4 Gram. (of an adjective or adverb) expressing a higher degree of a quality, but not the highest possible (e.g. braver, more fiercely) (cf. POSITIVE, SUPERLATIVE).

--n. Gram.

1. the comparative expression or form of an adjective or adverb.

2 a word in the comparative.

Derivatives:

comparatively adv.

Etymology: ME f. L comparativus (as COMPARE)

Oxford English vocab.      Оксфордский английский словарь.