Absolute vs. Relative — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 17, 2024
Absolute refers to values independent of other variables, whereas relative values depend on external factors or comparisons.
Difference Between Absolute and Relative
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Absolute measurements are fixed and unchanged by external conditions, making them consistent and universally applicable in various contexts. In contrast, relative measurements depend on other variables or a reference point, adjusting based on the situation or comparison, which makes them flexible but context-specific.
Absolute values are often used in contexts where precision and invariance are critical, such as in the laws of physics or absolute morality. On the other hand, relative values are more prevalent in areas like economics or social sciences, where variables are often influenced by external conditions and evolving standards.
In terms of morality, an absolute view suggests that certain actions are inherently right or wrong, regardless of the circumstances or outcomes. Whereas, a relative ethical stance would argue that the morality of an action depends on the social, cultural, or situational context.
Absolute positioning in a programming or design context refers to a fixed place in the layout, unaffected by other elements. Relative positioning, however, adjusts based on other elements' positions, which can change depending on the content or container changes.
Absolute scales in measurement, like absolute zero in temperature, provide a definitive zero point and are essential in fields like physics and engineering. Relative scales, such as the Celsius temperature scale, define values based on a relation to other points, like the freezing and boiling points of water.
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Comparison Chart
Dependence
Independent of external factors
Dependent on external factors
Application Context
Physics, moral judgments
Economics, cultural studies
Positioning (Design)
Fixed positioning in layout
Adjusts based on other elements
Measurement
Fixed measurements (e.g., Kelvin scale)
Comparative measurements (e.g., Celsius)
Ethical Perspective
Fixed moral standards
Contextual moral standards
Compare with Definitions
Absolute
Total and complete.
Absolute silence reigned over the room.
Relative
Considered in relation or proportion to something else.
Her success is quite relative to her effort.
Absolute
A number’s distance from zero.
The absolute value of -5 is 5.
Relative
The amount of moisture in the air compared to what it can hold at that temperature.
The relative humidity today makes it feel hotter.
Absolute
Measured from absolute zero.
Scientists often use Kelvin for these measurements.
Relative
Defined in terms of the society in which an individual lives.
Relative poverty changes as economic conditions evolve.
Absolute
A monarchy with total control.
Historically, kings often ruled with absolute power.
Relative
A clause that qualifies a noun.
The man, who was tall, wore a blue shirt.
Absolute
A file system path that starts from the root directory.
/home/user/Documents.
Relative
In spreadsheets, a cell position that changes when copied.
In Excel, A1 in a formula adjusts when copied to B1.
Absolute
Unqualified in extent or degree; total
Absolute silence.
Relative
Considered in relation or in proportion to something else
The relative effectiveness of the various mechanisms is not known
Absolute
Not limited by restrictions or exceptions
An absolute right.
Relative
Denoting a pronoun, determiner, or adverb that refers to an expressed or implied antecedent and attaches a subordinate clause to it, e.g. which, who.
Absolute
Being fully such; utter
An absolute fool.
Relative
(of major and minor keys) having the same key signature.
Absolute
Unconstrained by constitutional or other provisions
An absolute ruler.
Relative
(of a service rank) corresponding in grade to another in a different service.
Absolute
Not mixed; pure
Absolute oxygen.
Relative
A relative pronoun, determiner, or adverb.
Absolute
Not to be doubted or questioned; positive
Absolute proof.
Relative
A term or concept which is dependent on something else.
Absolute
Of, relating to, or being a word, phrase, or construction that is isolated syntactically from the rest of a sentence, as the referee having finally arrived in The referee having finally arrived, the game began.
Relative
Considered in comparison or relation to something else
An animal with a large brain relative to body size.
The relative quiet of the suburbs.
Absolute
Of, relating to, or being a transitive verb when its object is implied but not stated. For example, inspires in We have a teacher who inspires is an absolute verb.
Relative
Having pertinence or relevance; connected or related
How are those remarks relative to the discussion?.
Absolute
Of, relating to, or being an adjective or pronoun that stands alone when the noun it modifies is being implied but not stated. For example, in Theirs were the best, theirs is an absolute pronoun and best is an absolute adjective.
Relative
(Grammar) Referring to or qualifying an antecedent, as the pronoun who in the man who was on TV or that in the dictionary that I use.
Absolute
Relating to measurements or units of measurement derived from fundamental units of length, mass, and time.
Relative
(Music) Having the same key signature. Used of major and minor scales and keys
A minor is the relative minor of C major.
Absolute
Relating to absolute temperature.
Relative
A person related to another by heredity, adoption, or marriage.
Absolute
(Law) Complete and unconditional; final
An absolute divorce.
Relative
A species or other taxon that shares a common ancestor, usually a relatively recent ancestor, with another
The jaguar is a relative of the lion.
Absolute
Something that is absolute.
Relative
(Grammar) A relative pronoun.
Absolute
Something regarded as the ultimate and transcendent basis of all thought and being. Used with the.
Relative
Connected to or depending on something else; comparative.
Absolute
Something regarded as exceeding or transcending everything else to the point of being independent and unrelated.
Relative
Expressed in relation to another item, rather than in complete form.
Absolute
Free of restrictions, limitations, qualifications or conditions; unconditional.
Relative
(grammar) Depending on an antecedent; comparative.
The words “big” and “small” are relative.
Absolute
Unrestricted by laws, a constitution, or parliamentary or judicial or other checks; (legally) unlimited in power, especially if despotic.
Relative
(music) Having the same key but differing in being major or minor.
Absolute
Free from imperfection, perfect, complete; especially, perfectly embodying a quality in its essential characteristics or to its highest degree.
Absolute purity, absolute liberty
Relative
Relevant; pertinent; related.
Relative to your earlier point about taxes, ...
Absolute
Pure, free from mixture or adulteration; unmixed.
Absolute alcohol
Relative
Capable to be changed by other beings or circumstance; conditional.
Absolute
Complete, utter, outright; unmitigated, not qualified or diminished in any way.
When caught, he told an absolute lie.
An absolute denial of all charges
You're an absolute genius!
Relative
(linguistics) A type of adjective that inflects like a relative clause, rather than a true adjective, in certain Bantu languages.
Absolute
Positive, certain; unquestionable; not in doubt.
Relative
Having relation or reference; referring; respecting; standing in connection; pertaining; as, arguments not relative to the subject.
I'll have groundsMore relative than this.
Absolute
(archaic) Certain; free from doubt or uncertainty (e.g. a person, opinion or prediction).
Relative
Arising from relation; resulting from connection with, or reference to, something else; not absolute.
Every thing sustains both an absolute and a relative capacity: an absolute, as it is such a thing, endued with such a nature; and a relative, as it is a part of the universe, and so stands in such a relations to the whole.
Absolute
Fundamental, ultimate, intrinsic; not relative; independent of references or relations to other things or standards.
The doctrine that absolute knowledge of things is possible, an absolute principle
Absolute rights and duties are such as pertain to man in a state of nature as contradistinguished from relative rights and duties, or such as pertain to him in his social relations.
Relative
Indicating or expressing relation; refering to an antecedent; as, a relative pronoun.
Absolute
(physics) Independent of arbitrary units of measurement, standards, or properties; not comparative or relative.
Absolute velocity, absolute motion, absolute position
Relative
Characterizing or pertaining to chords and keys, which, by reason of the identify of some of their tones, admit of a natural transition from one to the other.
Absolute
Having reference to or derived in the simplest manner from the fundamental units of mass, time, and length.
Relative
One who, or that which, relates to, or is considered in its relation to, something else; a relative object or term; one of two object or term; one of two objects directly connected by any relation.
Absolute
Relating to the absolute temperature scale (based on absolute zero); kelvin.
Relative
An animal or plant that bears a relationship to another (as related by common descent or by membership in the same genus)
Absolute
(grammar) Not immediately dependent on the other parts of the sentence; not in a syntactical relation with other parts of a text, or qualifying the text as a whole rather than any single word in it, like "it being over" in "it being over, she left".
Relative
Not absolute or complete;
A relative stranger
Absolute
(of a case form) Syntactically connected to the rest of the sentence in an atypical manner, or not relating to or depending on it, like in the nominative absolute or genitive absolute, accusative absolute or ablative absolute.
Relative
Properly related in size or degree or other measurable characteristics; usually followed by `to';
Punishment oughtt to be proportional to the crime
Earnings relative to production
Absolute
(of an adjective or possessive pronoun) Lacking a modified substantive, like "hungry" in "feed the hungry".
Absolute
Expressing a relative term without a definite comparison, like "older" in "an older person should be treated with respect".
Absolute
Positive; not graded (not comparative or superlative).
Absolute
(of a usually transitive verb) Having no direct object, like "kill" in "if looks could kill".
Absolute
(of Celtic languages) Being or pertaining to an inflected verb that is not preceded by any number of particles or compounded with a preverb.
Absolute
(math) As measured using an absolute value.
Absolute deviation
Absolute square
Mean absolute difference
Absolute
(math) Indicating an expression that is true for all real numbers, or of all values of the variable; unconditional.
Absolute
(education) Pertaining to a grading system based on the knowledge of the individual and not on the comparative knowledge of the group of students.
Absolute
Independent of (references to) other arts; expressing things (beauty, ideas, etc) only in one art.
Absolute music
Absolute
Indicating that a tenure or estate in land is not conditional or liable to terminate on (strictly) any occurrence or certain kinds of occurrence.
A freehold property is an estate in fee simple absolute in possession.
Absolute
(obsolete) Absolved; free.
Absolute
That which exists (or has a certain property, nature, size, etc) independent of references to other standards or external conditions; that which is universally valid; that which is not relative, conditional, qualified or mitigated.
Moral absolutes
Absolute
(geometry) In a plane, the two imaginary circular points at infinity; in space of three dimensions, the imaginary circle at infinity.
Absolute
A realm which exists without reference to anything else; that which can be imagined purely by itself; absolute ego.
Absolute
The whole of reality; the totality to which everything is reduced; the unity of spirit and nature; God.
Absolute
(chemistry) A concentrated natural flower oil, used for perfumes; an alcoholic extract of a concrete.
Absolute
Loosed from any limitation or condition; uncontrolled; unrestricted; unconditional; as, absolute authority, monarchy, sovereignty, an absolute promise or command; absolute power; an absolute monarch.
Absolute
Complete in itself; perfect; consummate; faultless; as, absolute perfection; absolute beauty.
So absolute she seems,And in herself complete.
Absolute
Viewed apart from modifying influences or without comparison with other objects; actual; real; - opposed to relative and comparative; as, absolute motion; absolute time or space.
Absolute
Loosed from, or unconnected by, dependence on any other being; self-existent; self-sufficing.
Absolute
Capable of being thought or conceived by itself alone; unconditioned; non-relative.
To Cusa we can indeed articulately trace, word and thing, the recent philosophy of the absolute.
Absolute
Positive; clear; certain; not doubtful.
I am absolute 't was very Cloten.
Absolute
Authoritative; peremptory.
The peddler stopped, and tapped her on the head,With absolute forefinger, brown and ringed.
Absolute
Pure; unmixed; as, absolute alcohol.
Absolute
Not immediately dependent on the other parts of the sentence in government; as, the case absolute. See Ablative absolute, under Ablative.
Absolute
In a plane, the two imaginary circular points at infinity; in space of three dimensions, the imaginary circle at infinity.
Absolute
Something that is conceived to be absolute; something that does not depends on anything else and is beyond human control;
No mortal being can influence the absolute
Absolute
Perfect or complete or pure;
Absolute loyalty
Absolute silence
Absolute truth
Absolute alcohol
Absolute
Complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers;
Absolute freedom
An absolute dimwit
A downright lie
Out-and-out mayhem
An out-and-out lie
A rank outsider
Many right-down vices
Got the job through sheer persistence
Sheer stupidity
Absolute
Not limited by law;
An absolute monarch
Absolute
Expressing finality with no implication of possible change;
An absolute (or unequivocal) quarantee to respect the nation's authority
Inability to make a conclusive (or unequivocal) refusal
Absolute
Without conditions or limitations;
A total ban
Absolute
Not capable of being violated or infringed;
Infrangible human rights
Common Curiosities
What is an example of a relative ethical decision?
A relative ethical decision might vary, suggesting lying could be acceptable to protect someone's feelings.
What does "absolute" mean in a general context?
It means something that is total, complete, or universally applicable.
Can you give an example of absolute ethics?
Absolute ethics might argue that lying is always wrong, regardless of the situation.
What's an absolute path in computing?
It's the complete path from the root directory to the specified file or folder.
How is relative humidity calculated?
It is the ratio of current absolute humidity to the highest possible absolute humidity.
What is absolute zero?
Absolute zero is the lowest possible temperature where no more thermal energy can be extracted from a substance.
How does "relative" differ from "absolute" in measurements?
Relative measurements change depending on the context or compared to other measures, whereas absolute measurements remain consistent.
How does absolute positioning work in web design?
Absolute positioning fixes an element at a specific location within its container.
Can morality be both absolute and relative?
Yes, some argue for absolute truths in specific scenarios, while others see morality as culturally or situationally influenced.
Why might someone prefer relative measurements in statistics?
They provide a way to compare data points in terms of proportions or percentages, offering more context.
What is the significance of relative positioning in design?
It allows elements to adjust their position based on surrounding content.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
