👫 RESPECTIVELY: Order Matters!

Ever wondered what RESPECTIVELY means? This is a good one. Let's learn it together!

Example: First name and last name are the same as given name and family name, respectively.

respectively

The word respectively is used often but not always understood. Let's clarify it today!

ℹ️ Part of speech

respectively is an ADVERB.

🗣️ Pronunciation

respectively is pronounced /rɪ.ˈspɛk.tɪv.li/ or ri-SPEK-tiv-lee.

📚️ Definition

respectively is used to show that the order in which things you have just mentioned something is the same as the order as something else. Example: My mother and father were born in Ghana and Iran, respectively.

📰 Examples

Here are some examples of respectively in use:

• Mary and John were awarded the first and second prizes, respectively.

• The three finalists, Amy, Bella, and Ciara, weighed in at 180, 185, and 190 pounds, respectively.

• The countries Brazil, India, and China had GDPs of $1.9 trillion, $3.1 trillion and $14.3 trillion, respectively, in 2019.

🧠 Quick vocab quiz

Test your understanding!

respectively most nearly means:

(A) separately
(B) in reverse order
(C) in the same order
(D) randomly
(E) concurrently

And another one:

In which of the following sentences is the word respectively used correctly?

(A) Tom and Jerry are cat and mouse, respectively.
(B) Respectively, we won the first and third place.
(C) I have two dogs, Rover and Spot, respectively.
(D) Our team scored two goals in the first and second halves respectively.
(E) I respectively request that you cover your mouth when you sneeze.

Scroll down for the answer/s.

💁🏼 Tips!

The use of respectively is a great way to provide clarity in sentences where you are dealing with multiple items that each have their own distinct properties or actions.

You have possibly already seen this word in use in math class. For example, it's very common to see a question set-up something like Shapes A, B, and C have perimeters of 16 cm, 25 cm, and 36 cm, respectively. This of course means that shape A has a perimeter of 16 cm, shape B of 25 cm, and shape C of 36 cm. (Note my use of ellipsis here!)

---

✅ Quiz answer/s

The answers:

• C, in the same order.

• A, Tom and Jerry are cat and mouse, respectively.

Keep up the great work! Understanding vocabulary in context will help you on the SATs and in your future studies. See you at the next word!