representative
rep-ri-ZEN-tuh-tiv
/ˌrepriˈzentətɪv/
A person chosen or elected to act and speak on behalf of a wider group of people.
Implies a formal duty to reflect and champion the interests of a designated constituency.
The story behind the word. From Old French 'representatif' and Latin 'repraesentare', combining 're-' (again) and 'praesentare' (to place before). It literally means making the presence and wishes of absent people felt in an assembly.
Word relationships
- delegate: A 'delegate' is often mandated to vote strictly according to instructions, while a 'representative' may exercise personal judgment.
- spokesperson: A 'spokesperson' delivers prepared communications, whereas a 'representative' usually holds decision-making powers.
- misrepresentative: Refers to someone who inaccurately conveys or distorts the views of a group.
Commonly confused with
- representation: 'Representation' is the state or act of being represented, whereas 'representative' is the person fulfilling that role.
Word family
- representation (noun): The action of speaking or acting on behalf of someone else.
- represent (verb): To speak or act officially for another entity.
Collocations
- student representative
- elected representative
- class representative
- legal representative
Idioms & expressions
- representative democracy
Example sentences
- "The dormitory elected a class representative to voice their concerns about living conditions to university leadership." Student hall meeting
- "Each faculty department selects one student representative to serve on the academic Senate." University governance handbook
Memory hook
Re-presenting: standing up to PRESENT your friends' voices again in meetings. Making absent voters present.
When not to use
Do not use for an un-elected advocate who acts entirely on their own personal initiative.
Fun facts
- The medieval parliament system was built around 'procurators' who brought signed letters from towns to prove they spoke for everyone back home.
Related words
Explore more words
constituency, constituent, delegate, envoy, deputize, champion
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