online medical dictionary | definition of representative

1. Fitted to represent; exhibiting a similitude.

2. Bearing the character or power of another; acting for another or others; as, a council representative of the people.

3. Conducted by persons chosen to represent, or act as deputies for, the people; as, a representative government.

4. Serving or fitted to present the full characters of the type of a group; typical; as, a representative genus in a family. Similar in general appearance, structure, and habits, but living in different regions; said of certain species and varieties.

5. <psychology> Giving, or existing as, a transcript of what was originally presentative knowledge; as, representative faculties; representative knowledge. See Presentative, 3 and Represent.

Origin: Cf. F. Reprsentatif.

(01 Mar 1998)