kəmˈparəsən also -per-, rap. -rsən noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English comparisoun, from Middle French comparaison, from Latin comparation-, comparatio, from comparatus (past participle of comparare to compare) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at compare
1. : the act or action of comparing : likening, equating: as
a. : the representing of one thing or person as similar to or like another
a comparison of man to a monkey
— often used with beyond, without, or out of all in connection with something or someone so superior that likening to anything or anyone else is impossible
wealth beyond comparison
out of all comparison the more beautiful of the two
b. : the placing together or juxtaposing of two or more items to ascertain, bring into relief, or establish their similarities and dissimilarities
a comparison between American and British business procedures
health record of rural areas … suffers by comparison with urban centers — Commonweal
2. : identity (as of one feature or set of features with another) between two or more things or persons : similarity
points of comparison between the two authors are many
— used chiefly with a negative of something or someone decidedly inferior to another or of markedly unequal things or persons
his technique bears no comparison with that of any other artist
no comparison between the firepower of modern and 19th century armies
3. : the modification (as by inflection) of an adjective or adverb to denote different levels of the quality, quantity, or relation expressed by the adjective or adverb — see comparative I 1, positive , superlative
4. obsolete : a scoffing or mocking similitude
Synonyms:
contrast , antithesis , collation , parallel : comparison is the most general term; in its broadest use it may imply no more than an impartial search for resemblances as well as differences
there can be no comparison between the intelligence of native-born and foreign-born until differences due to language difficulties have been eliminated
a comparison of many children from diverse backgrounds would yield an understanding of the common characteristics of childhood
In a narrower use comparison means likening
a comparison to Sarah Bernhardt is flattering to any actress
and in yet another use it implies a judgment
parents should avoid comparisons between their children
contrast emphasizes difference intensified by physical nearness or by the association of the contrasting objects in an organic whole, a logical category, or an actual relationship
the contrast the neat bright doctor … made with the coltish countryfolk — R.L.Stevenson
Rembrandt achieves his greatest effect by the contrast of light and dark
the contrast between democracy and fascism
Electra's character given in a moment by the sharp contrast to her sister — Edith Hamilton
antithesis implies comparison for the sake of revealing startling differences. But the objects of an antithesis always appear in pairs or sets of pairs; and antithesis suggests that the members of each pair are at opposite extremes or directly negate each other
the century-old antithesis of heavenly justice and earthly fallibility, sin and innocence, Heaven and Hell, God and the Devil dominate Melville's mind — Charles Weir
collation denotes a close and far-going comparison, especially a scrutiny of manuscripts, records, differing accounts or editions of a text, with the purpose of arriving at the most nearly complete, authentic, or true version of something said, written, or done
this collation is relevant … to the question of Seneca's influence upon language — T.S.Eliot
parallel implies a similarity in growth, development, or action between people or events separated in time or place, background, or origin
the controversy which raged as an earlier parallel to that which Darwin was to start later — W.E.Swinton
the contribution of the Third Programme … is without parallel in the history of the art — Dyneley Hussey