representative

If you're representative of some group, you're typical, you’re a lot like most of the others. You might also be a representative for your group; you were elected to act on behalf of those you represent.

The US and many other democracies have representative governments, in which voters elect people to act on their behalf — to represent them. In the US, the House of Representatives is the largest legislative body. Its members — congressmen and congresswomen — are elected by the voters of their districts. These representatives are supposed to listen to the views of the people from their districts and act in their best interests.

Definitions of representative
  1. adjective
    serving to represent or typify
    “representative moviegoers”
    “a representative modern play”
    Synonyms:
    typical
    exhibiting the qualities or characteristics that identify a group or kind or category
  2. adjective
    standing for something else
    “the bald eagle is representative of the United States”
    Synonyms:
    allegoric, allegorical
    used in or characteristic of or containing allegory
    emblematic, emblematical, symbolic, symbolical
    serving as a visible symbol for something abstract
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    Antonyms:
    nonrepresentative, unsymbolic
    not standing for something else
  3. adjective
    being or characteristic of government by representation in which citizens exercise power through elected officers and representatives
    “representative government as defined by Abraham Lincoln is government of the people, by the people, for the people”
    Synonyms:
    democratic
    characterized by or advocating or based upon the principles of democracy or social equality
  4. noun
    a person who represents others
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    types:
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    agent
    a representative who acts on behalf of other persons or organizations
    alderman
    a member of a municipal legislative body (as a city council)
    assemblyman
    someone who is a member of a legislative assembly
    assemblywoman
    a woman assemblyman
    contact, middleman
    a person who is in a position to give you special assistance
    delegate
    a person appointed or elected to represent others
    emissary, envoy
    someone sent on a mission to represent the interests of someone else
    chief of state, head of state
    the chief public representative of a country who may also be the head of government
    personal representative
    a person who manages the affairs of another
    resident commissioner
    the representative of Puerto Rico in the United States House of Representatives
    union representative
    a representative for a labor union
    business agent
    an agent who handles business affairs for another; especially one who deals with employers
    literary agent
    an agent who represents an author in dealings with publishers
    apostolic delegate
    (Roman Catholic Church) a representative of the Holy See in a country that has no formal diplomatic relations with it
    bailee
    the agent to whom property involved in a bailment is delivered
    booker, booking agent
    someone who engages a person or company for performances
    chancellor, premier, prime minister
    the person who is head of state (in several countries)
    PM, Prime Minister, premier
    the person who holds the position of head of the government in the United Kingdom
    deputy, surrogate
    a person appointed to represent or act on behalf of others
    employment agent
    someone who runs an employment agency
    freight agent
    an employee of a freight carrier who directs the receipt and delivery of goods
    government agent
    a representative or official of a government or administrative department of a government
    handler
    an agent who handles something or someone
    legal representative
    a personal representative with legal standing (as by power of attorney or the executor of a will)
    legate, official emissary
    a member of a legation
    mill agent
    the responsible official at a mill that is under absentee ownership
    next friend
    (law) a person who acts on behalf of an infant or disabled person
    labor organizer, organiser, organizer
    someone who enlists workers to join a union
    parliamentary agent
    a person who is employed to look after the affairs of businesses that are affected by legislation of the British Parliament
    president
    the chief executive of a republic
    Chief Executive, President, President of the United States, United States President
    the person who holds the office of head of state of the United States government
    placeholder, procurator, proxy
    a person authorized to act for another
    purchasing agent
    an agent who purchases goods or services for another
    intelligence agent, intelligence officer, operative, secret agent
    a person secretly employed in espionage for a government
    shipping agent
    the agent of a shipowner
    shopper
    a commercial agent who shops at the competitor's store in order to compare their prices and merchandise with those of the store that employs her
    shop steward, steward
    a union member who is elected to represent fellow workers in negotiating with management
    crowned head, monarch, sovereign
    a nation's ruler or head of state usually by hereditary right
    special agent
    someone whose authority is limited to the special undertaking they have been instructed to perform
    talent agent
    an agent who represents performers
    general agent, universal agent
    someone authorized to transact every kind of business for the principal
    walking delegate
    a union representative who visits workers at their jobs to see whether agreements are observed
    type of:
    negotiant, negotiator, treater
    someone who negotiates (confers with others in order to reach a settlement)
  5. noun
    an advocate who represents someone else's policy or purpose
    synonyms: interpreter, spokesperson, voice
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    types:
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    ambassador
    an informal representative
    flack, flack catcher, flak, flak catcher
    a slick spokesperson who can turn any criticism to the advantage of their employer
    mouth, mouthpiece
    a spokesperson (as a lawyer)
    spokesman
    a male spokesperson
    spokeswoman
    a female spokesperson
    bagman, commercial traveler, commercial traveller, roadman, traveling salesman, travelling salesman
    a salesman who travels to call on customers
    tallyman
    one who sells goods on the installment plan
    type of:
    advocate, advocator, exponent, proponent
    a person who pleads for a person, cause, or idea
  6. noun
    a member of the United States House of Representatives
    synonyms: congressman, congresswoman
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    types:
    rep
    informal abbreviation of `representative'
    type of:
    legislator
    someone who makes or enacts laws
  7. noun
    an item of information that is typical of a class or group
    synonyms: example, illustration, instance
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    types:
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    apology, excuse
    a poor example
    exception, outlier
    an instance that does not conform to a rule or generalization
    case in point, precedent
    an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time
    quintessence
    the most typical example or representative of a type
    sample
    a small part of something intended as representative of the whole
    specimen
    an example regarded as typical of its class
    coupon
    a test sample of some substance
    cross section
    a sample meant to be representative of a whole population
    grab sample
    a single sample or measurement taken at a specific time or over as short a period as feasible
    random sample
    a sample grabbed at random
    tasting
    a small amount (especially of food or wine)
    type of:
    information
    knowledge acquired through study or experience or instruction
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