Learn English – What meaning does the word “respectively” add

word-meaningword-usage

I do not understand what extra meaning does the word respectively add in a sentence.

Does it add meaning like "as in the order of the things mentioned"

For example:

In the 200 metres, Lizzy and Sarah came first and third respectively.

When we say :

In the 200 metres, Lizzy and Sarah came first and third in a row.

Does the meaning of the sentence change?

How can we rewrite this sentence?

Best Answer

The word "respectively" verifies that the order in the first list corresponds to the order in the second list. So, in your example, Lizzy came in first and Sarah came in third.

We could leave the word out, but then the meaning wouldn't be 100% clear:

In the 200 metres, Lizzy and Sarah came first and third.

That sentence could mean that Lizzy came in first and Sarah came in third, or it could mean that Lizzy came in third and Sarah came in first. (I think the former is more likely, but the word "respectively" removes all doubt.)

In the case of the sentence in your comment:

I bought a kitten, a bunny, and a puppy and named them Alfred, Bob, and Chuck respectively.

Yes, you can say that – it shows that your kitten is named Alfred, your bunny is named Bob, and your puppy is named Chuck.

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