Dictionary

compare en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• [kəmˈpɛɹ] (General-American)
• (US) audio
• [kəmˈpeɚ] (General-American)
• /kəmˈpɛə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [kəmˈpɛː] (Received-Pronunciation)
• [kəmˈpeɹ] (General-American)
• /kəmˈpɛɚ/ (General-American)
• [kəmˈpɛɚ] (General-American)
• [kəmˈpeə] (Received-Pronunciation)
• [kəmˈpɛə] (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English comparen, from Old French comparer, from Latin comparare (“to prepare, procure”), from compar (“like or equal to another”), from com- + par (“equal”). Displaced native Old English metan (“to compare,” also “to measure”).

Meanings

1. (uncountable) Comparison.
   • Their small galleys may not hold compare with our tall ships. a. 1687, Edmund Waller, To my Worth Friend Sir Thomas Higgons:
   • His mighty Champion, ſtrong above compare, 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 38, line 557:
2. (countable) An instruction or command that compares two values or states.
   • […] including addition and subtraction, memory operations, compares, shifts, logic operations, and condition operations. 1998, International Conference on Computer Design: Proceedings, IEEE, page 490:
   • 2013, Paolo Bruni, Carlos Alberto Gomes da Silva Junior, Craig McKellar, Managing DB2 for z/OS Utilities with DB2 Tools Solution Packs It is always advisable to run a compare between your source and target environments. This should highlight whether there are differences in the lengths of VARCHARs and then the differences can be corrected before you clone.
3. (obsolete, uncountable) Illustration by comparison; simile.
   • Rhymes full of protest, of oath, and big compare. c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

Forms

Deriveds

beyond compare

Relateds

contrast

compare en · VERB

Pronunciation

• [kəmˈpɛɹ] (General-American)
• (US) audio
• [kəmˈpeɚ] (General-American)
• /kəmˈpɛə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [kəmˈpɛː] (Received-Pronunciation)
• [kəmˈpeɹ] (General-American)
• /kəmˈpɛɚ/ (General-American)
• [kəmˈpɛɚ] (General-American)
• [kəmˈpeə] (Received-Pronunciation)
• [kəmˈpɛə] (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English comparen, from Old French comparer, from Latin comparare (“to prepare, procure”), from compar (“like or equal to another”), from com- + par (“equal”). Displaced native Old English metan (“to compare,” also “to measure”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To assess the similarities and differences between two or more things [“to compare X with Y”]. Having made the comparison of X with Y, one might have found it similar to Y or different from Y.
   • You can't compare my problems and yours.
   • Compare the tiger's coloration with that of the zebra.
   • Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola. A recent study explored the ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents. 2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:
   • Sophia broke down here. Even at this moment she was subconsciously comparing her rendering of the part of the forlorn bride with Miss Marie Lohr's. 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 6, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:
2. (transitive) To declare two things to be similar in some respect [“to compare X to Y”].
   • Solon compared the people unto the sea, and orators and counsellors to the winds; for that the sea would be calm and quiet if the winds did not trouble it. 1625, Francis [Bacon], Apophthegmes New and Old. […], London: […] Hanna Barret, and Richard Whittaker, […], →OCLC:
   • Astronomers have compared comets to dirty snowballs.
   • And wordy attacks against slavery drew sneers from observers which were not altogether undeserved. The authors were compared to doctors who offered to a patient nothing more than invectives against the disease which consumed him. 1963, C.L.R. James, The Black Jacobins, 2nd Revised edition, page 24:
3. (transitive) To form the three degrees of comparison of (an adjective).
   • We compare “good” as “good”, “better”, “best”.
4. (intransitive) To be similar (often used in the negative).
   • Shall pack-horses[…]compare with Caesar's? c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:
   • A sapling and a fully-grown oak tree do not compare.
5. (obsolete) To get; to obtain.
   • To fill his bags, and richesse to compare. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 28:

Forms

Deriveds

recompare · incompared · comparingly · comparable · compare and despair · miscompare · compare apples with apples · compare apples to apples · intercompare · comparee · compare notes · compare and contrast · uncompared

Relateds

comparison · comparandum · cf · comparative · comparand

Synonyms

weigh against · set against · collate · liken

Translations (164)

sh uporediti (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · eu konparatu (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · de komparieren (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · fi vertautua (to be similar) · gd coimeas (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · ar شَبَّهَ (to declare two things to be similar in some respect) · th เปรียบเทียบ (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sv jämföra (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · bo སྡུར (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · ru сравни́ться (to be similar) · hu összevethető (to be similar) · lo ປຽບທຽບ (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sk porovnávať (to declare two things to be similar in some respect) · nl overeenstemmen (to be similar) · de übereinstimmen (to be similar) · km ធៀប (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · bg сравня се (to be similar) · alt салыштырар (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · hy համեմատել (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · el παραβάλλω (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · da gradbøje (to form the three degrees of comparison of) · km ទូរ (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · tr karşılaştırmak (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · vi so (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · acw قارن (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · fr comparer (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sk porovnať (to declare two things to be similar in some respect) · tg муқиёс кардан (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · mi whakataurite (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sq krahasoj (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sl primerjati (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · is miða við (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · ta ஒப்பிடு (to declare two things to be similar in some respect) · rm cumparar (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · hu fokoz (to form the three degrees of comparison of) · bn তুলনা করা (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · cmn 比較 /比较 (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · et võrdlema (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · my စာ (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · mk споре́дува (to form the three degrees of comparison of) · sw linganisha (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · mfe konpare (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · vi so sánh (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sh поредити (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · km ប្រៀបធៀប (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · io komparar (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · hu összehasonlít (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · se buohtastahttit (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · lt lyginti (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sv sammanlikna (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · alt теҥештирер (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · enm comparisounen (to declare two things to be similar in some respect) · be параўно́ўваць (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · enm comparisounen (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · az müqayisə etmək (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · hu összehasonlítható (to be similar) · no sammenligne (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · ar قَارَنَ (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · km ប្រដូច (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · bg сравнявам се (to be similar) · ko 견주다 (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · cs porovnat (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · hu hasonlít (to declare two things to be similar in some respect) · it paragonare (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · se veardidit (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · pl stopniować (to form the three degrees of comparison of) · rm congualar (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sh porediti (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · cy cymharu (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · got 𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍉𐌽 (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sne birokan (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · ko 비교하다 (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · my စက် (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · mk спо́реди (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · cs porovnávat (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · cs srovnávat (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · bg сравня́ (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sk stupňovať (to form the three degrees of comparison of) · fi vertailla (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · he השווה \ הִשְׁוָה (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · as ৰিজোৱা (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · tr kıyaslamak (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · eo kompari (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · el παρομοιάζω (to declare two things to be similar in some respect) · es carear (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · enm comparen (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · hu összevet (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · ca comparar (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · da sammenligne (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · ang metan (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · ja 比べる (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sk byť porovnateľný (to be similar) · de vergleichen (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · cmn 可比 (to be similar) · es parangonar (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · bg сравня́вам (to declare two things to be similar in some respect) · sl primeriti (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · el παραβάλλω (to declare two things to be similar in some respect) · id bandingkan (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sw linganisha (to form the three degrees of comparison of) · da stemme overens (to be similar) · ru сра́вниваться (to be similar) · es cotejar (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · bg сравня́ (to declare two things to be similar in some respect) · fo bera saman (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · ru сравни́ть (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · hsb přirunać (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · mn харьцуулах (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · pt comparar (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · km ប្រៀប (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · la comparō (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · es contraponer (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · ru сра́внивать (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · pl porównać (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sq njëjt (to be similar) · my နှိုင်း (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · de steigern (to form the three degrees of comparison of) · cs být srovnatelný (to be similar) · ja 比較する (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · mk споре́дува (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · lv salīdzināt (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · ka შედარება (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · cs stupňovat (to form the three degrees of comparison of) · ovd iemfyör (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · be параўна́ць (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · el συγκρίνω (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · cmn 比 (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · pl porównywać (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · bg спря́гам (to form the three degrees of comparison of) · ta ஒப்பிடு (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · es equiparar (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · uk порівня́ти (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sk porovnať (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · fi verrata (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · gl comparar (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · mk споре́дува (to be similar) · uk порі́внювати (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · cmn 類比 /类比 (to declare two things to be similar in some respect) · fa مقایسه کردن (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · mi whakatairite (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · as তুুলনা কৰা (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sk porovnávať (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · tg муқоиса кардан (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · enm comparen (to declare two things to be similar in some respect) · rm cumparegliar (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · is bera saman (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · az tutuşdurmaq (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · nl vergelijken (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · mk сра́внува (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · nn samanlikna (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · es paragonar (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · izh rinnoittaa (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · hi तौलना (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · es comparar (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · no jamføre (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · bg сравня́вам (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sv komparera (to form the three degrees of comparison of) · el συγκρίνω (to declare two things to be similar in some respect) · gd dèan coimeas air (to form the three degrees of comparison of) · ko 비유하다 (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · da jævnføre (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · cs srovnat (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · ro compara (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another) · sh упоредити (to assess the similarities between two things or between one thing and another)