representative

UK: /ˌrɛprɪˈzɛntətɪv/

US: /ˌrɛprɪˈzɛntətɪv/

US: (rep′ri zen′tə tiv)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

rep•re•sent•a•tive /ˌrɛprɪˈzɛntətɪv/   n. [countable]

1. a person or thing that represents another or others.
2. Government a person who represents a certain group of people or a community in a law-making body, esp. a member of the U.S. House of Representatives or of the lower house in certain state legislatures.
3. a typical example of something:
   thought of him as a representative of the modern executive.

adj. 

4. serving to represent;
   representing;
   including typical members of a certain population:
   a representative group to see the mayor.
5. Government of, characterized by, or based on representation of the people in government:
   [before a noun] a representative democracy.
6. being a typical example of a group or kind;
   typical:
   Is this painting representative of your work?

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

rep•re•sent•a•tive  (rep′ri zen′tə tiv), n. 

1. a person or thing that represents another or others.
2. an agent or deputy:
   a legal representative.
3. Government a person who represents a constituency or community in a legislative body, esp. a member of the U.S. House of Representatives or a lower house in certain state legislatures.
4. a typical example or specimen of a group, quality, or kind.

adj. 

5. serving to represent;
   representing.
6. standing or acting for another or others.
7. Government made up of representatives:
   a representative assembly.
8. Government of or pertaining to a system of governance by chosen representatives, usually elected from among a large group:
   representative government.
9. 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.

• Medieval Latin repraesentātīvus, equivalent. to repraesentāt(us) (see representation) + -īvus -ive
• Middle English (adjective, adjectival) 1350–1400

rep′re•sent′a•tive•ly, adv. 
rep′re•sent′a•tive•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 5. symbolic, exemplary, typical, characteristic.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

representative / ˌrɛprɪˈzɛntətɪv/ noun

1. a person or thing that represents another or others
2. a person who represents and tries to sell the products or services of a firm, esp a travelling salesman
3. a typical example
4. 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

adjective

1. serving to represent; symbolic
2. exemplifying a class or kind; typical
3. containing or including examples of all the interests, types, etc in a group
4. acting as deputy or proxy for another or others
5. acting for or representing a constituency or the whole people in the process of government: a representative council
6. of, characterized by, or relating to the political principle of representation of the people: representative government
7. of or relating to a mental picture or representation

ˌrepreˈsentatively adverb

ˌrepreˈsentativeness noun