English
representative
Representative comes from Middle French representatif ‘representative’, and goes back to Medieval Latin repraesentātīvus.
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500repraesentātīvus
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600representatif‘representative’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500representative
- Englishearliest quotation 1751same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500repraesentātīvus
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600representatif‘representative’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500representative
- Englishearliest quotation 1751same form
Earliest quotation: 1751, Tobias Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […]: “This pathetic remonstrance had the desired effect upon his…”
Equivalent to represent + -ative
Latin sum ‘to be’
…
Latin praesens ‘present’
Latin praesentō ‘to present’
Latin repraesentō ‘to show’
Old French représenter
English represent
Every English word from Medieval Latin repraesentātīvus
Today it means
adj Typical; having the same properties or interest as a larger group.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Medieval Latin repraesentātīvus / representative