representation

noun

rep-ruh-zen-TAY-shuhn/ˌɹɛp.ɹə.zɛnˈteɪ.ʃən/

10 meanings of representation

1
nouncountable or uncountable
Something that stands for or stands in place of another thing.
Like a photo that stands in for the real place it shows.
A map is a representation of the land around you.
The toy car is a small representation of a real one.
Similarsymbol, depiction, emblem, model, embodiment
Note
2
nouncountable or uncountable
The act of standing for or showing something else.
The representation of sound through written letters takes years to learn.
Music allows the representation of feelings that words cannot capture.
Similardepiction, portrayal, rendering, expression
Note
3
nouncountable or uncountable
A picture, shape, or idea used in place of the real thing.
Like a doll that stands in for a real baby.
The statue is a representation of an ancient king.
In the game, a green circle is a representation of a tree.
Similardepiction, image, portrayal, picture, likeness
4
nouncountable or uncountable
The right to choose someone to speak for you in the government.
Like picking a class captain to speak for the whole class.
Every state is promised equal representation in the upper house.
People without representation cannot make their voices heard by lawmakers.
Similarvoice
Note
5
noununcountable
How often a group of people appears in movies or shows, and how they are shown.
Like making sure every kind of kid gets a part in the school play.
The series won praise for its representation of immigrant families.
Many young fans want better representation of their own communities on screen.
Similarportrayal, depiction, inclusion, visibility
Note
6
nouncountable or uncountable
The lawyers who speak for you in court.
Like having someone who knows the rules speak for you when you cannot.
She could not afford legal representation for her trial.
The court appoints representation for those who cannot pay.
Similarcounsel, defense, advocacy
Note
7
nouncountable or uncountable
A statement of what you think, made to change what others believe or do.
The workers made a formal representation to the manager about safety.
Her clear representation of the problem convinced the council to act.
Similarsubmission, statement, petition, appeal, protest
8
nouncountable or uncountable
A show performed for an audience on a stage.
The evening representation of the play drew a large crowd.
Each representation of the ballet sold out within hours.
Similarperformance, production, staging, show
9
nouncountable or uncountable
In math, a way of making each member of a group, or similar system, act on a space in a straight-line way.
The students learned how a representation turns group elements into matrices.
Each representation lets mathematicians study a group through simple actions on a space.
Note
10
Sayree-pruh-zen-TAY-shuhnUS/ˌɹi.pɹə.zɛnˈteɪ.ʃən/UK/ˌɹiː.pɹə.zɛnˈteɪ.ʃən/
nouncountable
In medicine, a time when a patient comes back to a doctor or hospital again.
The patient's representation at the clinic led to more tests.
Doctors noted her representation with the same symptoms a week later.
Similarreturn, reattendance
Note

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–9

It comes through Old French from Latin "repraesentatio." You can also see it as "represent" plus "-ation."

Meaning 10

It comes from "re-" plus "presentation."