What does "comparative" mean?

1. (involving comparison) connected with or based on comparing two or more things. 2. (relative) measured by comparing something to others, rather than by a fixed standard. 3. (grammatical form) the form of an adjective or adverb used to compare two things, like 'faster' or 'more expensive'. 4. (comparison data) information or figures used to compare one period or thing with another.

How do you use "comparative"?

In English, short adjectives take '-er' while longer adjectives use 'more' before the word.

Is it correct to say "He is more taller than his brother."?

No — say "He is taller than his brother.". Do not use 'more' with adjectives that already have an '-er' ending.

comparative

adj. · n.

US //kəmˈpɛɹətɪv// UK //kəmpˈæɹətˌɪv// com·par·a·tive

1 involving comparison (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

connected with or based on comparing two or more things.

relating to or involving the act of comparison as a primary method of analysis.

Example

The researchers conducted a comparative study of the two different school systems.

Example

A comparative analysis of the two legal frameworks reveals significant discrepancies in how they handle digital privacy rights.
- contrastive
- evaluative
2 relative (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

measured by comparing something to others, rather than by a fixed standard.

estimated by comparison; relative rather than absolute in nature.

Example

After years of war, the country is finally enjoying a period of comparative peace.

Example

The startup's comparative success in a crowded market can be attributed to its aggressive pricing strategy and lean operational model.
- relative
- proportional
- absolute

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3 grammatical form (n.)
B1 Intermediate Technical Grammar

the form of an adjective or adverb used to compare two things, like 'faster' or 'more expensive'.

the intermediate degree of comparison for an adjective or adverb, typically formed in English via the suffix '-er' or the periphrastic 'more'.

Example

The comparative of 'good' is 'better', and the comparative of 'bad' is 'worse'.

Example

Students often struggle with irregular comparatives, mistakenly applying standard suffix rules to words like 'far' or 'little'.

Usage

In English, short adjectives take '-er' while longer adjectives use 'more' before the word.
- superlative
Pitfall

He is more taller than his brother.

He is taller than his brother.

Do not use 'more' with adjectives that already have an '-er' ending.
4 comparison data (n.)
C1 Advanced Academic Formal

information or figures used to compare one period or thing with another.

data points or statistics, often used in plural, that facilitate a direct comparison between different sets of results.

Example

The report includes the comparatives from last year to show our growth.

Example

Without reliable historical comparatives, it is difficult for the board to determine whether the current quarterly earnings represent a true upward trend.
- benchmarks
- metrics

Origin

From Middle English comparatif, from Middle French comparatif, from Latin comparātīvus, equivalent to comparātus, from comparāre (“to compare”) + -ive, from Latin -īvus.

Word family

Adjectivecomparative
Adverbcomparatively