noun · 16 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Australian:/ɹəˈlæ̝ɪʃ(ə)n/
rhymes with -eɪʃən
CMU ARPABET:R IY0 L EY1 SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The manner in which two things may be associated.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
The relation between diet and health is complex.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A member of one's extended family; a relative.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Yes, he's a relation of mine, but only a distant one.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A relationship; the manner in which and tone with which people or states, etc. interact.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, in-plural, uncountable
Examples
the foreign relations of the United States
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
The act of relating a story.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Your relation of the events is different from mine.
1669, Letter from Dr. Merrett to Thomas Browne, in Simon Wilkin (ed.), Sir Thomas Browne’s Works including his Life and Correspondence, London: William Pickering, 1836, Volume I, p. 443, Many of the lupus piscis I have seen, and have bin informed by the king’s fishmonger they are taken on our coast, but was not satisfied for some reasons of his relation soe as to enter it into my Pinax [...]
1691, Arthur Gorges (translator), The Wisdom of the Ancients by Francis Bacon (1609), London, Preface, [...] seeing they are diversly related by Writers that lived near about one and the self-same time, we may easily perceive that they were common things, derived from precedent Memorials; and that they became various, by reason of the divers Ornaments bestowed on them by particular Relations [...]
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A set of ordered tuples.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: mathematics, sciences, set-theory
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A set of ordered tuples.
A set of ordered pairs; a binary relation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: mathematics, sciences, set-theory
Examples
Equality is a symmetric relation, while divisibility is not.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A set of tuples, implemented as a table in a relational database.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
(usually plural) mutual dealings or connections among persons or groups
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
international relations
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: dealings, traffic
13
noun
Meaning 13
the act of sexual procreation between a man and a woman; the man's penis is inserted into the woman's vagina and excited until orgasm and ejaculation occur
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: sexual intercourse, intercourse, sex act, copulation, coitus, coition, sexual congress, congress, sexual relation, carnal knowledge
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: sexual activity, sexual practice, sex, sex activity
Narrower terms: defloration, fuck, fucking, screw, screwing, ass, nooky, nookie, piece of ass, piece of tail, roll in the hay, shag, shtup, hank panky, penetration, unlawful carnal knowledge, criminal congress
14
noun
Meaning 14
(law) the principle that an act done at a later time is deemed by law to have occurred at an earlier time
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
his attorney argued for the relation back of the amended complaint to the time the initial complaint was filed
From Middle English relacion, relacioun, from Anglo-Norman relacioun and Old French relacion (whence French relation), from Latin relātiō, noun of process form from perfect passive participle relātus (“related”), from verb referō (“to refer, to relate”), from prefix re- (“again”) + ferō (“to bear, to carry”). By surface analysis, relate + -ion. Doublet of relazione.
Across languages
Translations
158 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
عَلَاقَة
(ʕalāqa)
— way in which two things may be associated
Belarusian:
адно́сіны
(adnósiny)
— way in which two things may be associated
Belarusian:
зале́жнасць
(zaljéžnascʹ)
— way in which two things may be associated
Belarusian:
зале́жнасьць
(zaljéžnasʹcʹ)
— way in which two things may be associated
Bulgarian:
отноше́ние
(otnošénie)
— way in which two things may be associated
Bulgarian:
зави́симост
(zavísimost)
— way in which two things may be associated
Czech:
vztah
— way in which two things may be associated
Danish:
forhold
— way in which two things may be associated
Danish:
relation
— way in which two things may be associated
Estonian:
suhe
— way in which two things may be associated
Finnish:
suhde
— way in which two things may be associated
French:
relation
— way in which two things may be associated
Galician:
relación
— way in which two things may be associated
German:
Beziehung
— way in which two things may be associated
Hebrew:
יחס
(iákhas)
— way in which two things may be associated
Hungarian:
viszony
— way in which two things may be associated
Hungarian:
kapcsolat
— way in which two things may be associated
Japanese:
関係
(kankei)
— way in which two things may be associated
Japanese:
関連
(kanren)
— way in which two things may be associated
Korean:
관계
(gwan'gye)
— way in which two things may be associated
Central Kurdish:
پەیوەندی
(peywendî)
— way in which two things may be associated
Ladino:
raporto
— way in which two things may be associated
Ladino:
relasyón
— way in which two things may be associated
Ladino:
alishik
— way in which two things may be associated
Ladino:
atadijo
— way in which two things may be associated
Malayalam:
ബന്ധം
(bandhaṁ)
— way in which two things may be associated
Norwegian Bokmål:
relasjon
— way in which two things may be associated
Norwegian Nynorsk:
relasjon
— way in which two things may be associated
Portuguese:
relação
— way in which two things may be associated
Romanian:
relație
— way in which two things may be associated
Romanian:
legătură
— way in which two things may be associated
Russian:
отноше́ние
(otnošénije)
— way in which two things may be associated
Russian:
зави́симость
(zavísimostʹ)
— way in which two things may be associated
Russian:
связь
(svjazʹ)
— way in which two things may be associated
Sanskrit:
बन्धु
(bandhu)
— way in which two things may be associated
Slovak:
vzťah
— way in which two things may be associated
Slovene:
odnos
— way in which two things may be associated
Slovene:
relacija
— way in which two things may be associated
Spanish:
relación
— way in which two things may be associated
Swedish:
relation
— way in which two things may be associated
Swedish:
samband
— way in which two things may be associated
Tamil:
தொடர்பு
(toṭarpu)
— way in which two things may be associated
Telugu:
సంబంధము
(sambandhamu)
— way in which two things may be associated
Thai:
ความสัมพันธ์
(kwaam-sǎm-pan)
— way in which two things may be associated
Ottoman Turkish:
نسبت
(nisbet)
— way in which two things may be associated
Ukrainian:
відно́шення
(vidnóšennja)
— way in which two things may be associated
Ukrainian:
зале́жність
(zaléžnistʹ)
— way in which two things may be associated
Ukrainian:
зв'язо́к
(zvʺjazók)
— way in which two things may be associated
Chinese Mandarin:
關係 /关系
(guānxi)
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Czech:
relace
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Dutch:
relatie
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Finnish:
relaatio
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
French:
relation
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
German:
Relation
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Hindi:
संबंध
(sambandh)
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Hungarian:
reláció
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Italian:
relazione
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Japanese:
関係
(kankei)
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Korean:
관계
(gwan'gye)
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Iranian Persian:
رابِطِه
(râbete)
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Polish:
relacja
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Portuguese:
relação
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Romanian:
legătură
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Slovene:
relacija
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Spanish:
relación
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Swedish:
relation
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Tajik:
робита
(robita)
— mathematics: set of ordered tuples, a Boolean function of two or more arguments
Chinese Mandarin:
關係 /关系
(guānxi)
— set of ordered tuples retrievable by a database
Finnish:
relaatio
— set of ordered tuples retrievable by a database
German:
Relation
— set of ordered tuples retrievable by a database
Japanese:
関係
(kankei)
— set of ordered tuples retrievable by a database
Polish:
relacja
— set of ordered tuples retrievable by a database
Swedish:
relation
— set of ordered tuples retrievable by a database
Armenian:
ազգական
(azgakan)
— member of one's family
Bulgarian:
родни́на
(rodnína)
— member of one's family
Czech:
příbuzný
— member of one's family
Danish:
slægtning
— member of one's family
Danish:
familiemedlem
— member of one's family
Dutch:
familielid
— member of one's family
Dutch:
bloedverwant
— member of one's family
Dutch:
gezinslid
— member of one's family
Dutch:
familielid
— member of one's family
Dutch:
verwante
— member of one's family
Dutch:
verwant
— member of one's family
Dutch:
familieverwant
— member of one's family
Dutch:
familielui
— member of one's family
Dutch:
geboortsverwant
— member of one's family
Finnish:
sukulainen
— member of one's family
Finnish:
omainen
— member of one's family
French:
parent
— member of one's family
French:
parente
— member of one's family
French:
parenté
— member of one's family
French:
parentage
— member of one's family
French:
parentèle
— member of one's family
French:
parentaille
— member of one's family
Friulian:
parint
— member of one's family
German:
Verwandter
— member of one's family
German:
Verwandte
— member of one's family
German:
Verwandtschaft
— member of one's family
German:
Familienangehöriger
— member of one's family
German:
Familienangehörige
— member of one's family
German:
Angehöriger
— member of one's family
German:
Angehörige
— member of one's family
German:
Familienmitglied
— member of one's family
Hungarian:
rokon
— member of one's family
Hungarian:
hozzátartozó
— member of one's family
Ido:
parento
— member of one's family
Ido:
parentulo
— member of one's family
Ido:
parentino
— member of one's family
Italian:
parente
— member of one's family
Māori:
kaireperepe
— member of one's family
Norwegian Bokmål:
slektning
— member of one's family
Norwegian Bokmål:
familiemedlem
— member of one's family
Norwegian Nynorsk:
slektning
— member of one's family
Norwegian Nynorsk:
familiemedlem
— member of one's family
Portuguese:
parente
— member of one's family
Romanian:
rudenie
— member of one's family
Russian:
ро́дственник
(ródstvennik)
— member of one's family
Russian:
ро́дственница
(ródstvennica)
— member of one's family
Slovene:
sorodnik
— member of one's family
Spanish:
pariente
— member of one's family
Swedish:
släkting
— member of one's family
Swedish:
anhörig
— member of one's family
Swedish:
familjemedlem
— member of one's family
Tamil:
உறவினர்
(uṟaviṉar)
— member of one's family
Tamil:
உறவு
(uṟavu)
— member of one's family
Telugu:
బంధువు
(bandhuvu)
— member of one's family
Turkish:
akraba
— member of one's family
Ukrainian:
рідня́
(ridnjá)
— member of one's family
Volapük:
röletan
— member of one's family
Volapük:
hiröletan
— member of one's family
Volapük:
jiröletan
— member of one's family
Volapük:
röletanef
— member of one's family
Bulgarian:
ра́зказ
(rázkaz)
— act of relating a story
Bulgarian:
повествова́ние
(povestvovánie)
— act of relating a story
Finnish:
kertomus
— act of relating a story
Hungarian:
elmesélés
— act of relating a story
Hungarian:
elmondás
— act of relating a story
Hungarian:
elbeszélés
— act of relating a story
Romanian:
relatare
— act of relating a story
Romanian:
povestire
— act of relating a story
Romanian:
narare
— act of relating a story
Russian:
повествова́ние
(povestvovánije)
— act of relating a story
Russian:
изложе́ние
(izložénije)
— act of relating a story
Russian:
сообще́ние
(soobščénije)
— act of relating a story
Russian:
расска́з
(rasskáz)
— act of relating a story
Turkish:
rapor
— act of relating a story
Ottoman Turkish:
خبر
(haber)
— act of relating a story
Ottoman Turkish:
راپور
(rapor)
— act of relating a story
Ukrainian:
ро́зповідь
(rózpovidʹ)
— act of relating a story
Ukrainian:
пере́каз
(perékaz)
— act of relating a story
Hungarian:
viszony
— sexual relations
Russian:
половы́е отноше́ния
(polovýje otnošénija)
— sexual relations
Spanish:
relación
— sexual relations
Spanish:
relaciones sexuales
— sexual relations
Tamil:
உறவு
(uṟavu)
— sexual relations
Tamil:
உடலுறவு
(uṭaluṟavu)
— sexual relations
Ukrainian:
стате́ві стосу́нки
(statévi stosúnky)
— sexual relations
