Comparative
/kəmˈpærətɪv/
Definitions
2 meaningsForming a grammatical comparison; relating to or based on comparison.
/kəmˈpærətɪv/
Based on or involving comparison
This research uses a comparative method.
💡 Simply: It's like saying one thing is better, bigger, or smaller than something else. For example, 'My dog is bigger than your cat.' 'Bigger' is the comparative adjective.
👶 For kids: It means showing how things are different from each other.
More Examples
A comparative study will help understand our findings better.
How It's Used
"The comparative adjective 'bigger' is used to show a greater degree than 'big'."
"The essay offered a comparative analysis of two different novels."
A word or phrase that expresses comparison (e.g., 'bigger', 'more quickly').
/kəmˈpærətɪv/
The comparative form of an adjective or adverb
The comparative 'faster' is used to demonstrate speed.
💡 Simply: It's the part of a word that shows comparison like 'taller' or 'faster.' It helps us see which thing is better or bigger than the other.
👶 For kids: The word that shows something is more or less than something else.
More Examples
'Taller' is the comparative form of 'tall'.
How It's Used
"In English, the comparative is formed by adding '-er' or using 'more'."
From Middle English *comparatif, from Old French comparatif, from Latin comparativus, from comparare "to compare".
The word 'comparative' has been used in English since the 14th century, primarily within grammatical contexts.
Memory tip
Think 'compare' - it's all about making comparisons.