adjective

1. representing or serving to represent; specif.,
   1. picturing; portraying; reproducing
   2. acting or speaking, esp. by due authority, in the place or on behalf of another or others; esp., serving as a delegate in a legislative assembly
2. composed of persons duly authorized, as by election, to act and speak for others a representative assembly
3. of, characterized by, or based on representation of the people by elected delegates representative government
4. being an example or type of a certain class or kind of thing; typical a building representative of modern architecture

Etymology: ME < MFr or ML: MFr représentatif < ML repraesentativus

noun

1. a person or thing enough like the others in its class or kind to serve as an example or type
2. a person duly authorized to act or speak for another or others; specif.,
   1. a member of a legislative assembly
   2. a salesman or agent for a business firm
3. ☆ a member of the lower house of Congress (House of Representatives) or of a State legislature