comparative: Meaning and Definition of

com•par•a•tive

1. of or pertaining to comparison.
2. proceeding by, founded on, or using comparison as a method of study: comparative anatomy.
3. estimated by comparison; not positive or absolute; relative: a comparative newcomer in politics; to live in comparative luxury.
4. being, noting, or pertaining to the intermediate degree of the comparison of adjectives, as better and more beautiful, the comparative forms of good and beautiful, and of adverbs, as nearer and more carefully, the comparative forms of near and carefully. Cf. positive (def. 20),(def. 2).