relation

[ ri-ley-shuhn ]

noun

1. an existing connection; a significant association between or among things:

   the relation between cause and effect.

   Synonyms: link, tie, relationship

   Antonyms: independence

2. relations,
   1. the various connections between peoples, countries, etc.:

      foreign relations.

   2. the various connections in which persons are brought together:

      business and social relations.

   3. sexual intercourse.
3. the mode or kind of connection between one person and another, between an individual and God, etc.
4. connection between persons by blood or marriage.

   Synonyms: kinship, relationship

5. a person who is related by blood or marriage; relative:

   his wife's relations.

6. the act of relating, narrating, or telling; narration.

   Synonyms: description, recital, recitation

7. Law. a principle whereby effect is given to an act done at one time as if it had been done at a previous time.
8. Mathematics.
   1. a property that associates two quantities in a definite order, as equality or inequality.
   2. a single- or multiple-valued function.

relation

/ rɪˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. the state or condition of being related or the manner in which things are related
2. connection by blood or marriage; kinship
3. a person who is connected by blood or marriage; relative; kinsman
4. reference or regard (esp in the phrase in or with relation to )
5. the position, association, connection, or status of one person or thing with regard to another or others
6. the act of relating or narrating
7. an account or narrative
8. law the principle by which an act done at one time is regarded in law as having been done antecedently
9. law the statement of grounds of complaint made by a relator
10. logic maths
    1. an association between ordered pairs of objects, numbers, etc, such as … is greater than …
    2. the set of ordered pairs whose members have such an association
11. philosophy
    1. a relation that necessarily holds between its relata, as 4 is greater than 2
    2. a relation that does not so hold

Other Words From

• re·lation·less adjective
• nonre·lation noun
• prere·lation noun
• subre·lation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of relation¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English relacion, from Latin relātiōn-, stem of relātiō “a carrying back, narration, repayment”; equivalent to relate + -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of relation¹

C14: from Latin relātiō a narration, a relation (between philosophical concepts)

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in / with relation to, with reference to; concerning:

   It's best to plan with relation to anticipated changes in one's earnings.

More idioms and phrases containing relation

see poor relation ; relative (in relation) to .

Example Sentences

The court also issued a warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, who Israel says was killed in July, over alleged war crimes in relation to the 7 October 2023 attacks against Israel.

From BBC

Gleason-Mitchell, of no fixed address, previously admitted causing or allowing the death of a child, cruelty to a child in relation to cocaine, and cruelty to a child in relation to cannabis.

From BBC

In them, the models have been used to study inter-areal processing, the neural code, and the relation between neuron connectivity and activity.

From Science Daily

Russian President Vladimir Putin has gifted North Korea's main zoo more than 70 animals, including a lion and two brown bears, in yet another display of burgeoning relations between Moscow and Pyongyang.

From BBC

Putin insists Ukraine will have to remain neutral for any relations to work, even though it is now part of Ukraine’s constitution to join both Nato and the European Union.

From BBC

Related Words

• relationship