[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/respective/)

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# respective

adjective (respective — used only before a noun)

«respective» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Respective means belonging to each one of the people or things just named, in the same order. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/respective/#m1)
2. (formal) «Respectively» (adverb) means «in the order just given». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/respective/#m2)

### In the lessons

A formal word from exams and maths problems: «Tom and Ann are 8 and 10 respectively» means Tom is 8 and Ann is 10. In everyday writing, «they went to their respective homes» = each went to his or her own home. Phrases: «their respective», «respectively».

### Examples

- After the party, the children went back to their respective homes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/respective/#x1)
- Sam and Mia scored 7 and 9 points respectively. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/respective/#x2)
- The two teams sat in their respective changing rooms. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/respective/#x3)
- The boxes weigh 3 kg and 5 kg respectively. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/respective/#x4)
- Each pupil read their respective part of the play. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/respective/#x5)
- Ben and Lily have $12 and $20 respectively; how much do they have together? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/respective/#x6)
- All rose up as if from deep slumber, and went to their respective homes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/respective/#x7)

### Note

Formal word. Do not confuse with «respectful» (polite) or «respectable» (decent). In maths, «respectively» matches numbers to names in order: first number to first name, second to second — mixing them up gives a wrong answer.

## In Jewish tradition

A formal word from exams and maths problems: «Tom and Ann are 8 and 10 respectively» means Tom is 8 and Ann is 10. In everyday writing, «they went to their respective homes» = each went to his or her own home. Phrases: «their respective», «respectively».

### Examples

- They are only a combination of two, three, and four strokes, to indicate the respective numbers. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/respective/#x1)
- George Boole inThe Laws of Thought, London 1854, p. 48, also says: "The respective interpretations of the symbols 0 and 1 in the system of Logic are Nothing and Universe." (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/respective/#x2)

### Note

Formal word. Do not confuse with «respectful» (polite) or «respectable» (decent). In maths, «respectively» matches numbers to names in order: first number to first name, second to second — mixing them up gives a wrong answer.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «respective» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/respective/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«respective» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/respective.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «respective» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/respective/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«respective» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/respective.html) on Mova free.