Relatively

Part of speech: adverb

Pronunciation: /ˈɹɛl.ə.tɪv.li/

Definitions

1. In comparison to something else or when considered in relation to other things
2. In terms of comparison or when assessing in relation to other factors, this term indicates a proportional or contextual perspective on an idea or concept
3. This term suggests a viewpoint that emerges from comparing various elements or considering them in relation to each other

Etymology: "Relatively" is a plain formation: the adjective "relative" with the suffix "-ly" added to turn it into an adverb. The adjective "relative" itself comes from Latin "relativus", from "referre", meaning "to bring back" or "to refer", so the word has always carried the sense of one thing being referred back to another. The suffix has a longer history than the adjective it attaches to. The "-ly" ending descends from Old English "-līċe", which in turn came from a Proto-Germanic form meaning "in the manner of" or "having the form of," built on a root related to the word for "body" or "shape." Over the centuries the suffix shrank to the simple "-ly" we use today, and it now attaches to countless adjectives to mark manner or degree.

Synonyms: comparatively, proportionally

Antonyms: absolutely