adjective

1. that compares; involving comparison as a method, esp. in a branch of study comparative linguistics
2. estimated by comparison with something else; relative a comparative success
3. Gram. designating or of the second degree of comparison of adjectives and adverbs; expressing a greater degree of a quality or attribute than that expressed in the positive degree: usually indicated by the suffix -er (harder) or by the use of more with the positive form (more honest)

Etymology: ME < L comparativus

noun

1. Obsolete a rival
2. Gram.
   1. the comparative degree
   2. a word or form in this degree