representative

representative
    adj 1: serving to represent or typify; "representative
           moviegoers"; "a representative modern play"
    2: standing for something else; "the bald eagle is
       representative of the United States" [ant:
       {nonrepresentative}, {unsymbolic}]
    3: 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"
    n 1: a person who represents others
    2: an advocate who represents someone else's policy or purpose;
       "the meeting was attended by spokespersons for all the major
       organs of government" [syn: {spokesperson}, {interpreter},
       {representative}, {voice}]
    3: a member of the United States House of Representatives [syn:
       {congressman}, {congresswoman}, {representative}]
    4: an item of information that is typical of a class or group;
       "this patient provides a typical example of the syndrome";
       "there is an example on page 10" [syn: {example},
       {illustration}, {instance}, {representative}]
    

Representative \Rep`re*sent"a*tive\, n. [Cf. LL.
   repraesentativus.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. One who, or that which, represents (anything); that which
      exhibits a likeness or similitude.
      [1913 Webster]

            A statute of Rumor, whispering an idiot in the ear,
            who was the representative of Credulity. --Addison.
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            Difficulty must cumber this doctrine which supposes
            that the perfections of God are the representatives
            to us of whatever we perceive in the creatures.
                                                  --Locke.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. An agent, deputy, or substitute, who supplies the place of
      another, or others, being invested with his or their
      authority.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Law) One who represents, or stands in the place of,
      another.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: The executor or administrator is ordinarily held to be
         the representative of a deceased person, and is
         sometimes called the legal representative, or the
         personal representative. The heir is sometimes called
         the real representative of his deceased ancestor. The
         heirs and executors or administrators of a deceased
         person are sometimes compendiously described as his
         real and personal representatives. --Wharton. Burrill.
         [1913 Webster]

   4. A member of the lower or popular house in a State
      legislature, or in the national Congress. [U.S.]
      [1913 Webster]

   5. (Nat.Hist.)
      (a) That which presents the full character of the type of
          a group.
      (b) A species or variety which, in any region, takes the
          place of a similar one in another region.
          [1913 Webster]
    

Representative \Rep`re*sent"a*tive\ (-z?nt`?-t?v), a. [Cf. F.
   repr?sentatif.]
   1. Fitted to represent; exhibiting a similitude.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Bearing the character or power of another; acting for
      another or others; as, a council representative of the
      people. --Swift.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Conducted by persons chosen to represent, or act as
      deputies for, the people; as, a representative government.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. (Nat.Hist.)
      (a) Serving or fitted to present the full characters of
          the type of a group; typical; as, a representative
          genus in a family.
      (b) Similar in general appearance, structure, and habits,
          but living in different regions; -- said of certain
          species and varieties.
          [1913 Webster]

   5. (Metaph.) Giving, or existing as, a transcript of what was
      originally presentative knowledge; as, representative
      faculties; representative knowledge. See {Presentative}, 3
      and {Represent}, 8.
      [1913 Webster]
    

REPRESENTATIVE, n.  In national politics, a member of the Lower House
in this world, and without discernible hope of promotion in the next.
    

270 Moby Thesaurus words for "representative":
      MP, Member of Congress, Member of Parliament, acting, advocate,
      agent, alderman, alter ego, alternate, alternative, ambassador,
      amicus curiae, analogy, antetype, antitype, apish, archetypal,
      archetype, assemblyman, attorney, backup, backup man, badge,
      banner, biotype, case, case history, case in point, catchpole,
      champion, change, changeling, character, characteristic, chosen,
      chosen freeholder, city father, classic, classic example,
      classical, commissioner, comparison, congressman, congresswoman,
      connotative, copy, councilman, counterfeit, criterion,
      cross section, delegate, delineative, delineatory, democratic,
      demonstration, demonstrative, denominative, denotative, depictive,
      deputative, deputy, descriptive, designative, device, diagnostic,
      differentia, double, dummy, earmark, echoic, elected, emblem,
      emblematic, embodiment, embodying, emissary, envoy, epitome, equal,
      equivalent, ersatz, evidential, evocative, example, exchange,
      executive officer, exemplar, exemplary, exemplification,
      exhibitive, explanation, exponent, expositive, expressive,
      faithful, fake, figural, figurative, figurehead, fill-in,
      floor leader, fugleman, fugler, genotype, ghost, ghostwriter,
      graphic, hallmark, ideal, identifying, ideographic, idiosyncrasy,
      idiosyncratic, illustration, illustrational, illustrative, image,
      imitatee, imitation, imitative, implicative, incarnating, index,
      indicant, indicating, indicative, indicator, indicatory,
      individual, insignia, instance, keynote, lawgiver, lawmaker, lead,
      legate, legislator, lieutenant, lifelike, limning, locum,
      locum tenens, majority leader, makeshift, mark, meaningful,
      measure, metaphor, metaphorical, metonymy, mimetic, mimish,
      minority leader, mirror, missionary, model, naming, naturalistic,
      next best thing, note, object lesson, onomatopoeic, original,
      paradigm, paradigmatic, paranymph, party whip, pathognomonic,
      pattern, peculiar, peculiarity, personifying, personnel, phony,
      pictographic, pictorial, picture, pinch hitter, pleader,
      portraying, precedent, precedential, procurator, property,
      prototypal, prototype, proxy, quintessential, realistic,
      relevant instance, relief, rep, replacement, representation,
      representational, representing, reserves, ringer, rule, sample,
      sampling, seal, second in command, second string, secondary,
      semantic, semiotic, senator, sigil, sign, signal, signalizing,
      signature, significant, significative, signifying, simulative,
      solon, spares, specimen, spokesman, spokeswoman, stamp, stand-in,
      standard, state senator, sub, substituent, substitute,
      substitution, succedaneum, suggestive, superseder, supplanter,
      sure sign, surrogate, symbol, symbolic, symbolistic, symbolizing,
      symbological, symptom, symptomatic, symptomatologic, synecdoche,
      telltale sign, third string, token, trait, true to life, type,
      type species, type specimen, typical, typical example,
      typification, typifying, understudy, urtext, utility man,
      utility player, vicar, vicar general, vice, vice-president,
      vice-regent, vicegerent, vivid, well-drawn, whip