relation
gb/ɹilˈeɪʃən/ us/ɹilˈeɪʃən/
A2
English
~ 600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
relation
1
connection between people or things
The way in which two or more people or things are connected to each other.
Usage pattern:
the relation between [A] and [B]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'relation' with 'relationship'; 'relation' is often more formal or abstract, while 'relationship' can refer to personal connections.
Synonyms
connection (Very general term for a link between things; slightly less formal.)
|
link (Often used for a direct or specific connection.)
Antonyms
separation (Refers to things being apart with no connection.)
Collocations
close relation
|direct relation
|cause-and-effect relation
|family relation
|inverse relation
Themes
relationships
|communication
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- There is a strong relation between exercise and good health.
- The report examined the relation between poverty and crime.
- In mathematics, we studied the relation between variables.
- Her research focuses on the relation of language to thought.
Learner examples
- There is a relation between sleep and health.
- We studied the relation of price and demand.
- The teacher explained the relation between sun and plants.
Noun
A2
entity
2
family member by blood or marriage
A person in your family, by birth or marriage.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a relation of [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners often use 'relation' when 'relative' sounds more natural in everyday speech for this meaning.
Synonyms
relative (Most common everyday term for a family member.)
Antonyms
stranger (Someone with no family connection.)
Collocations
distant relation
|close relation
|blood relation
Themes
family
|people
|relationships
Examples
- She invited all her relations to the wedding.
- He is a distant relation of mine.
- Only close relations were told the news.
Learner examples
- My cousin is my relation.
- She is a close relation of mine.
- He is my father's relation.
Noun
technical
B2
relation
3
mathematical or logical connection
In math or logic, a way of showing how things are connected using pairs or rules.
Synonyms
association (Used in statistics and logic for relatedness.)
Collocations
binary relation
|equivalence relation
|inverse relation
Themes
mathematics
|logic
|education
|science
Examples
- An equivalence relation partitions a set into classes.
- The teacher explained the difference between a function and a general relation.
- We studied the properties of the 'less than' relation.
Learner examples
- In math, we learned about an equivalence relation.
- A function is a type of relation.
- This graph shows the less-than relation.
Grammar
Dictionary form
relation
IPA
GB/ɹilˈeɪʃən/
US/ɹilˈeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
re - la - tion (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (la)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: relation
- Plural: relation, relations
Word family
Forms
relations
noun
Core family
Related words
relatively
adverb B1
Negative and opposite forms
unrelated
adjective B2
Advanced or less common
relational
adjective
relativity
noun C1
Expressions
bear no relation to
1/bˈɛɹ nˈoʊ ɹilˈeɪʃən tə/
fixed phrase
to be completely unrelated to something
To be completely different from something else; not connected at all.
Examples
- His explanation bears no relation to the facts.
- These costs bear no relation to the quality provided.
in direct relation to
1/ˈɪn dɪɹˈɛkt ɹilˈeɪʃən tə/
fixed phrase
directly connected with cause or effect
Happening because of something else in a clear way.
Examples
- The pay increase is in direct relation to your performance.
- The changes are in direct relation to customer feedback.
in relation to
1/ˈɪn ɹilˈeɪʃən tə/
fixed phrase
concerning or compared with something
Used to talk about what something is about, connected to, or compared with.
Examples
- She spoke in relation to the new policy changes.
- Crime has dropped in relation to last year.