Definition of representation

The word "representation" originated from the Latin term "repraesentacio," which translated to "something standing in place of another." This term, in turn, can be traced back to the verb "repraesentare," which means "to present again." In medieval Europe, "representation" was commonly used in a theatrical context, referring to a dramatic representation or "playing" of a story, usually with a religious or moral theme. This meaning still exists today in phrases like "dramatic representation" and "theatrical presentation." The concept of "representation" also entered the political and legal domains, where it came to signify the act of speaking or acting on behalf of someone or something else. This usage is evident in phrases such as "official representation" and "representative democracy," in which elected officials are chosen to represent the interests and opinions of their constituents. In contemporary English, "representation" can refer to any such act of standing in for something else, from the depiction of an object in a painting or sculpture (in art) to the person who represents a country or organization in international relations (in politics). The general meaning of the word remains "to be a symbol or embodiment of something else."