›having a particular characteristic or value compared to other things of a similar type: The Chancellor of the Exchequer talked about the UK's relative growth performance compared with "core" Europe.relative importance/strength/sizerelative cost/priceInternational borrowers have seen the relative cost of their loans rise slightly in the past six months.a relative newcomer/unknownThe firm is a relative newcomer to the world of futures trading.
relative to sth›compared to something else: Official figures probably understate Europe's growth relative to America.Pay in many white-collar jobs has been stagnating relative to inflation.relative to earnings/income/salesMotoring costs are forecast to increase even further over the next ten years relative to income.relative to sb's competitors/peersSteps taken now to address climate change can improve a company's competitive position relative to its peers.