respective

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin respectivus, from Latin respectus. Equivalent to respect +‎ -ive.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈspɛktɪv/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛktɪv
• Hyphenation: re‧spec‧tive

Adjective

respective (not comparable)

1. Relating to particular persons or things, each to each; particular; own.

   They returned to their respective places of abode.

   • 2012 August 23, Alasdair Lamont, “Hearts 0-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     Adam and Novikovas swapped long-range efforts, neither of which troubled the respective keepers.

2. (obsolete) Noticing with attention; careful; wary.
   • (Can we date this quote by Archbishop Sandys and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     If you look upon the church of England with a respective eye, you can not […] refuse this charge.

3. (obsolete) Looking toward; having reference to; relative, not absolute.

   the respective connections of society

4. (obsolete) Fitted to awaken respect.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, IV. iv. 192:

     What should it be that he respects in her / But I can make respective in myself,

5. (obsolete) Rendering respect; respectful; regardful.
   • (Can we date this quote by Chapman and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     With respective shame, rose, took us by the hands.

   • (Can we date this quote by Lord Burleigh and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     With thy equals familiar, yet respective.

Synonyms

• (relating to particular persons or things): corresponding, relevant, specific

Derived terms

• respectively
• respectiveness
• irrespective

Translations

referencing two or more things as individuals

• Armenian: համապատասխան (hy) (hamapatasxan)
• Catalan: respectiu
• Danish: respektive (da)
• Dutch: achtereenvolgend (nl)
• Esperanto: respektiva
• French: respectif (fr)
• German: jeweilig (de)
• Greek: αντίστοιχος (el) (antístoichos)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Latvian: attiecīgs, atbilstošs, piederīgs
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: respektiv

  Nynorsk: respektiv

• Polish: poszczególny (pl)
• Portuguese: respectivo (pt)
• Russian: соотве́тствующий (ru) (sootvétstvujuščij)
• Scottish Gaelic: air leth
• Spanish: respectivo (es)
• Swedish: respektiv
• Ukrainian: відпові́дний (vidpovídnyj)

Anagrams

• perceivest

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French

Adjective

respective

1. feminine singular of respectif

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German

Adverb

respective

1. Obsolete spelling of respektive.