Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The condition or fact of being related; connection or association.
  • noun Connection by blood or marriage; kinship.
  • noun A particular type of connection existing between people related to or having dealings with each other.
  • noun A romantic or sexual involvement.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The state of being related by kindred, affinity, or other alliance.
  • noun In music, same as relation, 8. Also called tone-relationship.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The state of being related by kindred, affinity, or other alliance.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Connection or association; the condition of being related.
  • noun Kinship; being related by blood or marriage.
  • noun A romantic or sexual involvement.
  • noun A way in which two or more people behave and are involved with each other
  • noun music The level or degree of affinity between keys, chords and tones.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a state of connectedness between people (especially an emotional connection)
  • noun a state involving mutual dealings between people or parties or countries
  • noun (anthropology) relatedness or connection by blood or marriage or adoption
  • noun a relation between people; (`relationship' is often used where `relation' would serve, as in `the relationship between inflation and unemployment', but the preferred usage of `relationship' is for human relations or states of relatedness)

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From relation +‎ -ship.

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Examples

  • Though there are many, both men and women, who still try to build a solid relationship from a “Purely Sexual” relationship… much to their folly.

    The 11 Most Common Shitty Relationships That People Make...and an Extra One That is Much More Rare stardustcboy 2004

  • Hogan's relationship with a range of Rupert Murdoch-owned ­companies and Lovells 'longstanding ­relationship with ITV are expected to ­create conflict issues for the merged firm.

    The Lawyer - Latest News 2010

  • Let’s see here… my last real relationship was with Andy .. and that was from October 7th, 2002-January 2nd, 2003.. and then we had like a fling at the end of February through mid-March or whatever, but yeah, that was my last real relationship… and it ended with him going wack.

    aleighk21 Diary Entry aleighk21 2004

  • This Is The Mad Style: They say stay in relationship is complicated skip to main | skip to sidebar

    They say stay in relationship is complicated Jerine 2008

  • In an HBO show you can get away with a character-study show like the recent boxing episode, where the main relationship is ugly and wrong (between Lee and Kara) and gets no real resolution except that it will continue to be wrong and ugly.

    BSG Backlash? 2007

  • This relationship is my future; it's what I want out of life.

    nigerian scam 2010

  • In short, the history of our relationship is the history of a mutual and stubborn deceit.

    Considering emigrating to Guadalajara? 2009

  • In short, the history of our relationship is the history of a mutual and stubborn deceit.

    Considering emigrating to Guadalajara? 2009

  • In fact, in perhaps the oddest bit of the staging, the pants role of Ramiro was tweaked to imply that the character may, in fact, be a woman and that this relationship is a lesbian one.

    Down Mexico Way 2009

  • In short, the history of our relationship is the history of a mutual and stubborn deceit.

    Considering emigrating to Guadalajara? 2009

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