representative

[rep-ri-zen-tuh-tiv] /ˌrɛp rɪˈzɛn tə tɪv/

noun

a person or thing that represents another or others.

an agent or deputy:

a legal representative.

a person who represents a constituency or community in a legislative body, especially a member of the U.S. House of Representatives or a lower house in certain state legislatures.

a typical example or specimen of a group, quality, or kind.

adjective

serving to represent; representing.

standing or acting for another or others.

made up of representatives:

a representative assembly.

Government. of or pertaining to a system of governance by chosen representatives, usually elected from among a large group, as in representative democracy; representative government.

exemplifying a group or kind; typical:

a representative selection of Elizabethan plays.

10.

corresponding to or replacing some other species or the like, as in a different locality.

11.

of, pertaining to, or characteristic of representationalism.

12.

pertaining to or of the nature of a mental image or representation.

Origin

1350-1400; Middle English (adj.) < Medieval Latin repraesentātīvus, equivalent to repraesentāt(us) (see representation) + -īvus -ive

Related forms

representatively, adverb

representativeness, noun

nonrepresentative, noun, adjective

nonrepresentatively, adverb

nonrepresentativeness, noun

overrepresentative, adjective

overrepresentatively, adverb

overrepresentativeness, noun

unrepresentative, adjective

unrepresentatively, adverb

unrepresentativeness, noun

Synonyms

5. symbolic, exemplary, typical, characteristic.

Examples from the web for representatives

representatives of all of them, in one form or another, live in your garden.
As official representatives of their governments, diplomats were obliged to uphold the policies of their countries.
The representatives of church and state had their reasons for this approach.
In a normal democracy, voters choose their representatives.
What you have done is ignore the representatives of one side in favour of the other.
Under the law a company that believes its goods have been copied can instruct its legal representatives to make a complaint.
But its voting members are all representatives of ministries controlled by the executive branch.
Several of these countries had representatives at the conference.
Have representatives from each team read aloud descriptions of their event.
There was no sweet-talking the airline representatives out of it.

British Dictionary definitions for representatives

representative

/ˌrɛprɪˈzɛntətɪv/

noun

a person or thing that represents another or others

a person who represents and tries to sell the products or services of a firm, esp a travelling salesman Often shortened to rep

a typical example

a person representing a constituency in a deliberative, legislative, or executive body, esp (capital) a member of the House of Representatives (the lower house of Congress) See also House of Representatives

(NZ) a rugby player, football player, etc, chosen to represent a province in interprovincial sports

adjective

serving to represent; symbolic

exemplifying a class or kind; typical: a representative example of the species
containing or including examples of all the interests, types, etc, in a group: a representative collection

acting as deputy or proxy for another or others

acting for or representing a constituency or the whole people in the process of government: a representative council

10.

of, characterized by, or relating to the political principle of representation of the people: representative government

11.

of or relating to a mental picture or representation

Derived Forms

representatively, adverb
representativeness, noun

Word Origin and History for representatives

representative

adj.

"serving to represent," late 14c., from Old French representatif (early 14c.), from Medieval Latin repraesentativus, from stem of Latin repraesentare (see represent). Meaning "standing for others" is from 1620s; in the political sense of "holding the place of the people in the government, having citizens represented by chosen persons" is first recorded 1620s. Meaning "pertaining to or founded on representation of the people" is from 1640s.

1640s, "example, type," from representative (adj.); 1690s in sense of "member of a legislative body."

representatives in Culture

representatives definition

Popularly elected officials who serve in state legislatures and in the House of Representatives in Congress. Representing the local districts from which they are elected, representatives support the interests of their constituents by proposing bills and programs. Elected for two-year terms, representatives in Congress must be sensitive to their constituents' concerns in order to be reelected.