representation
Other forms: representations
A representation acts or serves on behalf or in place of something. A lawyer provides legal representation for his client. A caricature is an exaggerated representation or likeness of a person.
Representation comes from the Latin repraesentare meaning "bring before, exhibit." A representation is an exhibit, whether it comes in the form of legal guidance or in the form of artistic expression. The act of representation has to do with replacing or acting on behalf of an original. Elected officials serve as the representation for their constituency — or at least it's supposed to work that way.
Definitions of representation
-
the act of representing; standing in for someone or some group and speaking with authority in their behalftypes:proportional representationrepresentation of all parties in proportion to their popular votetype of:cooperationjoint operation or action
-
a presentation to the mind in the form of an idea or imagesynonyms: internal representation, mental representationtypes:instantiationa representation of an idea in the form of an instance of itantitypea person or thing represented or foreshadowed by a type or symbol; especially a figure in the Old Testament having a counterpart in the New Testamentstereotypea conventional or formulaic conception or imageschema, schemean internal representation of the world; an organization of concepts and actions that can be revised by new information about the worldinterpretation, reading, versiona mental representation of the meaning or significance of somethingphantasmagoriaa constantly changing medley of real or imagined images (as in a dream)psychosexualitythe mental representation of sexual activitiespercept, perception, perceptual experiencethe representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a conceptmemorysomething that is rememberedappearancea mental representationabstractionism, unrealisma representation having no reference to concrete objects or specific examplesreminiscencea mental impression retained and recalled from the pastcrossroadsa point where a choice must be madeinterfacethe overlap where two theories or phenomena affect each other or have links with each otherreinterpretationa new or different meaningfigurea unitary percept having structure and coherence that is the object of attention and that stands out against a groundgrounda relatively homogeneous percept extending back of the figure on which attention is focusedrecollectionsomething recalled to the mindengram, memory tracea postulated biochemical change (presumably in neural tissue) that represents a memoryconfabulation(psychiatry) a plausible but imagined memory that fills in gaps in what is rememberedscreen memoryan imagined memory of a childhood experience; hides another memory of distressing significancememory imagea mental image of something previously experiencedauditory imagea mental image that is similar to an auditory perceptionmicrocosma miniature model of somethingprefigurationan example that prefigures or foreshadows what is to comefrontthe outward appearance of a personanagogea mystical or allegorical interpretation (especially of Scripture)type of:cognitive content, content, mental objectthe sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned
-
an activity that stands as an equivalent of something or results in an equivalenttypes:pageant, pageantryan elaborate representation of scenes from history, etc.; usually involves a parade with rich costumesfigurationrepresenting figuratively as by emblem or allegorytypificationthe act of representing by a type or symbol; the action of typifyingsimulationthe act of imitating the behavior of some situation or some process by means of something suitably analogous (especially for the purpose of study or personnel training)guerrilla theater, street theaterdramatization of a social issue; enacted outside in a park or on the streetpuppetrya stilted dramatic performance (as if by puppets)type of:activityany specific behavior
-
a creation that is a visual or tangible rendering of someone or somethingtypes:adumbrationa sketchy or imperfect or faint representationaudiograma visual representation of a person's sensitivity to sound, taken as part of a hearing testcopya thing made to be similar or identical to another thingcosmographya representation of the earth or the heavenscrechea representation of Christ's nativity in the stable at Bethlehemcutaway, cutaway drawing, cutaway modela representation (drawing or model) of something in which the outside is omitted to reveal the inner partsdocumentanything serving as a representation of a person's thinking by means of symbolic marksdrawinga representation of forms or objects on a surface by means of linesecce homoa representation (a picture or sculpture) of Jesus wearing a crown of thornsillustrationa visual representation (a picture or diagram) that is used make some subject more pleasing or easier to understandmapa diagrammatic representation of the earth's surface (or part of it)objectificationa concrete representation of an abstract idea or principleexposure, photo, photograph, pic, picturea representation of a person or scene in the form of a print or transparent slide; recorded by a camera on light-sensitive materialicon, ikon, image, picturea visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surfacepietaa representation of the Virgin Mary mourning over the dead body of Jesusprojectionthe representation of a figure or solid on a plane as it would look from a particular directionrubbingrepresentation consisting of a copy (as of an engraving) made by laying paper over something and rubbing it with charcoalshadea representation of the effect of shadows in a picture or drawing (as by shading or darker pigment)set, stage setrepresentation consisting of the scenery and other properties used to identify the location of a dramatic productionStation of the Crossa representation of any of the 14 stages in Christ's journey to Calvaryavataran electronic image representing a computer useranamorphism, anamorphosisa distorted projection or perspective; especially an image distorted in such a way that it becomes visible only when viewed in a special mannerbeefcakea photograph of a muscular man in minimal attirebitmap, electronic imagean image represented as a two dimensional array of brightness values for pixelsblueprintphotographic print of plans or technical drawings etc.charcoala drawing made with a stick of black carbon materialcharta map designed to assist navigation by air or seacheesecakea photograph of an attractive woman in minimal attirechiaroscuroa monochrome picture made by using several different shades of the same colorchoropleth mapa map that uses graded differences in shading or color or the placing of symbols inside defined areas on the map in order to indicate the average values of some property or quantity in those areascloseupa photograph or video taken at close rangecollage, montagea paste-up made by sticking together pieces of paper or photographs to form an artistic imagedaguerreotypea photograph made by an early photographic process; the image was produced on a silver plate sensitized to iodine and developed in mercury vapordiagrama drawing intended to explain how something works; a drawing showing the relation between the partsfigurea model of a bodily form (especially of a person)floatan elaborate display mounted on a platform carried by a truck (or pulled by a truck) in a procession or paradefoil, transparencypicture consisting of a positive photograph or drawing on a transparent base; viewed with a projectorframea single one of a series of still transparent pictures forming a cinema, television or video filmglobea sphere on which a map (especially of the earth) is representedglossya photograph that is printed on smooth shiny paperGuyan effigy of Guy Fawkes that is burned on a bonfire on Guy Fawkes Dayheadshota photograph of a person's headhologram, holographthe intermediate photograph (or photographic record) that contains information for reproducing a three-dimensional image by holographyiconographythe images and symbolic representations that are traditionally associated with a person or a subjectimitationsomething copied or derived from an originalinseta small picture inserted within the bounds or a larger onelongshota photograph taken from a distancemap projectiona projection of the globe onto a flat map using a grid of lines of latitude and longitudemechanical drawingscale drawing of a machine or architectural plan etc,microdotphotograph reduced to the size of a dot (usually for purposes of security)mock-upfull-scale working model of something built for study or testing or displaymodificationslightly modified copy; not an exact copypen-and-inka drawing executed with pen and inkphotocopya photographic copy of written or printed or graphic workphotomicrographa photograph taken with the help of a microscopeplanetariuman apparatus or model for representing the solar systemsplata map showing planned or actual features of an area (streets and building lots etc.)platea full-page illustration (usually on slick paper)printa copy of a movie on film (especially a particular version of it)quadruplicateany four copies; any of four things that correspond to one another exactlyradiogram, radiograph, shadowgraph, skiagram, skiagrapha photographic image produced on a radiosensitive surface by radiation other than visible light (especially by X-rays or gamma rays)restorationa model that represents the landscape of a former geological age or that represents and extinct animal etc.reflection, reflexionthe image of something as reflected by a mirror (or other reflective material)renderingperspective drawing of an architect's designroad mapa map showing roads (for automobile travel)roughcasta rough preliminary modelbird-scarer, scarecrow, scarer, straw man, strawmanan effigy in the shape of a man to frighten birds away from seedsscene, scenerythe painted structures of a stage set that are intended to suggest a particular localesilhouettea drawing of the outline of an object; filled in with some uniform colorsilverpointa drawing made on specially prepared paper with an instrument having a silver tip (15th and 16th centuries)sketch mapa map drawn from observation (rather than from exact measurements) and representing the main features of an areaSnellen chartdisplay consisting of a printed card with letters and numbers in lines of decreasing size; used to test visual acuityechogram, sonograman image of a structure that is produced by ultrasonography (reflections of high-frequency sound waves); used to observe fetal growth or to study bodily organsspectaclean elaborate and remarkable display on a lavish scalestereo, stereoscopic photograph, stereoscopic picturetwo photographs taken from slightly different angles that appear three-dimensional when viewed togetherstick figuredrawing of a human or animal that represents the head by a circle and the rest of the body by straight linesstilla static photograph (especially one taken from a movie and used for advertising purposes)telephotographa photograph transmitted and reproduced over a distancetime exposurea photograph produced with a relatively long exposure timetrace, tracinga drawing created by superimposing a semitransparent sheet of paper on the original image and copying on it the lines of the original imagetriplicateone of three copies; any of three things that correspond to one another exactlyvignettea photograph whose edges shade off graduallyweather chart, weather map(meteorology) a map showing the principal meteorological elements at a given time and over an extended regionwedding picturephotographs of bride and groom and their friends taken at their weddingdioramaa three-dimensional representation of a scene, in miniature or life-size, with figures and objects set against a backgroundselfiea photograph that you take of yourself, typically with a digital camerapastela drawing made with pastel stickstype of:creationan artifact that has been brought into existence by someone
-
a performance of a playsynonyms: histrionics, theatrical, theatrical performancetypes:matineea theatrical performance held during the daytime (especially in the afternoon)type of:
-
a factual statement made by one party in order to induce another party to enter into a contract“the sales contract contains several representations by the vendor”type of:statementa message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc
-
a statement of facts and reasons made in appealing or protesting“certain representations were made concerning police brutality”type of:statementa message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc
-
the state of serving as an official and authorized delegate or agenttypes:free agency(sports) the state of a professional athlete who is free to negotiate a contract to play for any teamlegal representationpersonal representation that has legal statusvirusa harmful or corrupting agencytype of:statethe way something is with respect to its main attributes
-
the right of being represented by delegates who have a voice in some legislative bodytype of:rightan abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature
-
a body of legislators that serve in behalf of some constituency“a Congressional vacancy occurred in the representation from California”type of:bodya group of persons associated by some common tie or occupation and regarded as an entity
Pronunciation
US
UK
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘representation'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback
Word Family
Vocabulary lists containing representation
American History I
The Colonies–Reconstruction (1600s–1877)
The American Revolution - Introductory
Declare your independence and master these words related to the American Revolution. Learn all about the conflict between the colonists and the redcoats, from the Boston Tea Party to the British surrender at Yorktown. Explore causes of the war and review major battles, key historical figures, and the structure of the new American republic.
Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress
To punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament enforced acts that the colonies found intolerable. In response, they convened the First Continental Congress in 1774 to outline a list of grievances, rights, and resolves. Read the full text here. Here are links to our lists for other notable declarations: Declaration of Colonial Rights, Declaration of the Rights of Man, Declaration of the Rights of Woman, Universal Declaration of Human Rights