/ri lay"sheuhn ship'/ , n.
1. a connection, association, or involvement.
2. connection between persons by blood or marriage.
3. an emotional or other connection between people: the relationship between teachers and students.
4. a sexual involvement; affair.
[ 1735-45; RELATION + -SHIP ]
Syn. 1. dependence, alliance, kinship. 2. affinity, consanguinity. RELATIONSHIP, KINSHIP refer to connection with others by blood or by marriage. RELATIONSHIP can be applied to connection either by birth or by marriage: relationship to a ruling family. KINSHIP generally denotes common descent and implies a more intimate connection than relationship: the ties and obligations of kinship.