respectively

adverb

re·​spec·​tive·​ly ri-ˈspek-tiv-lē How to pronounce respectively (audio)
Synonyms of respectively
1
: in the order given
My cousin and I were respectively 12 and 16 years old.
2
: in particular : separately
could not recognize the solutions as salty or sour, respectively

Examples of respectively in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Belts and silk scarves are seeing strong growth, with sales increasing at a double-digit and triple-digit pace respectively. — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2026 Tom Ford’s Haider Ackermann and Celine’s Michael Rider were recognized for womenswear and menswear design, respectively, while G-III Apparel Group’s Morris Goldfarb received the Creative Leadership Honor and Henry Zankov was named One to Watch. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2026 That case loosely inspired The Conjuring (2013), in which Ed and Lorraine were portrayed by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, respectively. — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Oct. 2026 The iPad Pro and the iPad Air, meanwhile, receive $10 and $15 value increases, respectively. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 28 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for respectively

Word History

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of respectively was in 1602

Rhymes for respectively

See All Rhymes for respectively

Browse Nearby Words

respective
respectively
respectiveness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Respectively.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/respectively. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

respectively

adverb
re·​spec·​tive·​ly
ri-ˈspek-tiv-lē
: each in the order given
John and Mary were 12 and 13 years old respectively

More from Merriam-Webster on respectively

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for respectively

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All