How to pronounce relative
Say it like REL-uh-tiv. Relative has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (REL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce relative. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- REL
- uh
- tiv
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Relative pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- tivKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of relative
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: REL-uh-tiv.
What does relative mean?
- a person related by blood or marriage“police are searching for relatives of the deceased”“he has distant relations back in New Jersey”
- an animal or plant that bears a relationship to another (as related by common descent or by membership in the same genus)
- estimated by comparison; not absolute or complete“a relative stranger”
- properly related in size or degree or other measurable characteristics; usually followed by to“the punishment ought to be proportional to the crime”“earnings relative to production”
Where does relative come from?
From Middle French relatif, from Late Latin relātīvus, from Latin relātus, perfect passive participle of referō (“to carry back, to ascribe”), from re- (“again”) + ferō (“to bear or carry”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying relative
How do you pronounce relative?
Say REL-uh-tiv. The American pronunciation is /ˈrɛlətɪv/. In British English it is /ˈrɛlətɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in relative?
Relative has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (REL). Broken into parts: REL · uh · tiv.
Is relative pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t. The British form is /ˈrɛlətɪv/ (REL-uh-tiv).