Rep′re‐sent″a‐tive (–z?nt′?–t?v), a. [Cf. F. repr�sentatif.] 1. Fitted to represent; exhibiting a similitude.
2. Bearing the character or power of another; acting for another or others; as, a council representative of the people. Swift.
3. Conducted by persons chosen to represent, or act as deputies for, the people; as, a representative government.
4. (Nat.Hist.) (a) Serving or fitted to present the full characters of the type of a group; typical; as, a representative genus in a family. (b) Similar in general appearance, structure, and habits, but living in different regions; — said of certain species and varieties.
5. (Metaph.) Giving, or existing as, a transcript of what was originally presentative knowledge; as, representative faculties; representative knowledge. See Presentative, 3 and Represent, 8.