Meanings
- not comparableRelating to particular persons or things, each to each; particular; own.
They returned to their respective places of abode.
2 more examples
Adam and Novikovas swapped long-range efforts, neither of which troubled the respective keepers.
2012 August 23, Alasdair Lamont, “Hearts 0-1 Liverpool”, in BBC SportHitachi and CAF have begun a staged return to work at their respective Newton Aycliffe and Newport factories, having reduced output following the COVID-19 outbreak.
2020 April 22, “Network News: Staged return to work at Hitachi and CAF factories”, in Rail, page 9Synonyms: corresponding, relevant, specific
- not comparableobsoleteLooking toward; having reference to; relative, not absolute.
the respective connections of society
- not comparableobsoleteFitted to awaken respect.
What should it be that he respects in her / But I can make respective in myself,
c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv], line 192 - not comparableobsoleteRendering respect; respectful; regardful.
a. 1598, William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, instructions to his son Robert Cecil, when young With thy equals familiar, yet respective.
1 more example
With a respective shame, rose, took us by the hands.
[1611?], Homer, “(please specify |book=I to XXIV)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume (please specify the book number), London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveRelating to particular persons or things, each to each; particular; own.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveconsidered individually
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinrespectus
- Medieval Latinrespectivus
- Englishrespective
Borrowed from Medieval Latin respectivus, from Latin respectus. By surface analysis, respect + -ive.
More words from Medieval Latin, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian съответен
- съответен (săotveten)referencing two or more things as individuals
Catalan respectiu
- respectiureferencing two or more things as individuals
Danish respektive
- respektivereferencing two or more things as individuals
Dutch achtereenvolgend
- achtereenvolgendreferencing two or more things as individuals
Esperanto respektiva
- respektivareferencing two or more things as individuals
Finnish vastaava
- vastaavareferencing two or more things as individuals
French respectif
- respectifreferencing two or more things as individuals
German jeweilig
- jeweiligreferencing two or more things as individuals
Greek αντίστοιχος
- αντίστοιχος (antístoichos)referencing two or more things as individuals
Latvian attiecīgs, atbilstošs
- attiecīgsreferencing two or more things as individuals
- atbilstošsreferencing two or more things as individuals
- piederīgsreferencing two or more things as individuals
Norwegian Bokmål respektiv
- respektivreferencing two or more things as individuals
Polish poszczególny, odpowiedni
- poszczególnyreferencing two or more things as individuals
- odpowiednireferencing two or more things as individuals
Portuguese respectivo, respetivo
- respectivoreferencing two or more things as individuals
- respetivoreferencing two or more things as individuals
Russian соотве́тствующий
- соотве́тствующий (sootvétstvujuščij)referencing two or more things as individuals
Scottish Gaelic air leth
- air lethreferencing two or more things as individuals
Spanish respectivo
- respectivoreferencing two or more things as individuals
Swedish respektiv
- respektivreferencing two or more things as individuals
Ukrainian відпові́дний
- відпові́дний (vidpovídnyj)referencing two or more things as individuals
Vietnamese tương ứng, riêng từng (người, cái, …)
- tương ứngreferencing two or more things as individuals
- riêng từng (người, cái, …)referencing two or more things as individuals
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with respective
Cite this entry
respective. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/respective
“respective.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/respective. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “respective,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/respective.
Source: respective on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.