Adjectives of Relation

                                  ADJECTIVES OF RELATION

(There are many terms which refer to a state of relating to or pertaining to a certain thing or category of things. Instead of using a phrase such as "pertaining to buttercups", you can substitute the adjective "ranunculaceous". We have compiled some such terms below. We use many of these words every day without realizing that they are part of this larger category.)

ABECEDARIAN - of, like or pertaining to the order of the alphabet; rudimentary

AESTIVAL - of, like or pertaining to summer

AGRESTIC - of the fields; rural; unpolished

ALAR - of, like or pertaining to the wing or shoulder

ALVEOLATE - of or like a honeycomb

AURICULAR - of, like or pertaining to the ear; spoken secretly

AVUNCULAR - like an uncle; of, like or pertaining to uncles

BATHYSMAL - of, like or pertaining to the depths of the ocean

BIBITORY - of, like or pertaining or pertaining to drinking

BUCCAL - of, like or pertaining to the mouth or cheek

BUCOLIC - of, like or pertaining to the tending of cattle; rustic, rural

BURSAL - of, like or pertaining to a state's revenues

CARPAL - of, like or pertaining to the wrist

CHTHONIAN - of, like or pertaining to the earth or the underworld

CONNUBIAL - of, like or pertaining to marriage

CREPUSCULAR - of, like or pertaining to twilight

CRETACEOUS - of or resembling chalk; of a whitish colour

DISTAFF - of, like or pertaining to the female branch of a family or women's work

EDACIOUS - voracious; gluttonous; pertaining to eating

EPISTOLARY - of, like or pertaining to letters

FENESTRAL - of, like or pertaining to windows

FUNICULAR - of, like or pertaining to a string or cable

GALACTIC - of, like or pertaining to or obtained from milk

HERMENEUTIC - of, like or pertaining to the interpretation passages

HIBERNAL - of, like or pertaining to winter

HISTRIONIC - of, like or pertaining to the stage or actors

HYPOTHECARY - of, like or pertaining to mortgages

INTERSTITIAL - of, like or pertaining to the space between things

LITTORAL - of, like or pertaining to the shore of a body water

MAGISTRAL - of, like or pertaining to a master or teacher

MARMOREAL - of or like marble

MATINAL - of, like or pertaining to the morning

MAXILLARY - of, like or pertaining to a jaw

MERETRICIOUS - of, like or pertaining to prostitution; superficially attractive but lacking value

OCCIPITAL - of, like or pertaining to the back of the head

OLEIC — of, like or pertaining to or derived from oil

OSCULAR — of, like or pertaining to the mouth or to kissing

PARIETAL — of a wall or walls, especially anatomical walls

PECUNIARY — of, like or pertaining to money; consisting of money

PLEBEIAN — of the common people or vulgar classes

PRANDIAL — of, like or pertaining to dinner

PROCEPHALIC — of, like or pertaining to the front of the head

PUERPERAL — of, like or pertaining to childbirth

PYRETIC — of, pertaining to or for the cure of fevers

RISIBLE — laughable

SARTORIAL — of, like or pertaining to a tailor or tailored clothes

SCIATIC — of, like or pertaining to the hip

SIDEREAL — of, like or pertaining to the stars

STOCHASTIC — of, like or pertaining to a sequence of random events

SULPHOROUS — of, like or pertaining to hellfire; infernal; blasphemous

SUPERCILIARY — of, on or near the eyebrow

TECTONIC — of, like or pertaining to building; structural

TERPSICHOREAN — of, like or pertaining to dancing

UMBILICAL — of, like or pertaining to the navel; related on the mother's side

UXORIAL — of, like or pertaining to a wife

VACCINE — of, like or pertaining to cows; preparation conferring immunity to disease

VALETUDINARIAN — of, like or pertaining 'to ill-health; anxious about health

VERNAL — of, like or pertaining to spring

VISCERAL — of the organs of the body

VOLITIVE — of, like or pertaining to the will