in XX Terms

[Tedwonny]

what does the phrase in XX terms mean. I know it should refer to something like in XX aspect / from the perspective of XX

But I have no idea what the following sentence mean:

People are better off in economic terms.

Does it mean ppl are well off? They are wealthy but they may not be doing so well in other facets like health?

There are similar phrases: in absolute/broad/relative/practical terms. Do they mean
exactly / generally / relatively / practically ?

Much obliged if someone can cast some light on this.



PS: I have tried to check several dictionaries but in vain.

 

[emsr2d2]

what does the phrase in XX terms mean. I know it should refer to something like in XX aspect / from the perspective of XX

But I have no idea what the following sentence mean:

People are better off in economic terms.

Does it mean ppl are well off? They are wealthy but they may not be doing so well in other facets like health?

There are similar phrases: in absolute/broad/relative/practical terms. Do they mean
exactly / generally / relatively / practically ?

Much obliged if someone can cast some light on this.



PS: I have tried to check several dictionaries but in vain.

If someone is better off in economic terms, then we don't know if they are wealthy but they are either better off than they used to be economically, or they are better off than other unspecified people economically.

 

[susiedq]

In "economic terms" means: in the subject area of economics

 

[Tedwonny]

Thanks a lot
what about the others

in absolute terms = in an absolute sense?

Could you give me some examples thanks

 

[susiedq]

In the sample sentence you orginally posted, in economic terms means in manners concerning their personal economic well-being.

You must provide a complete sentence using the word term for us to give you the meaning, since the word has several meanings.

 

[BobK]

what does the phrase in XX terms mean. I know it should refer to something like in XX aspect / from the perspective of XX

...
There are similar phrases: in absolute/broad/relative/practical terms. Do they mean
exactly / generally / relatively / practically. . . * ?

Much obliged if someone can cast some light on this.



PS: I have tried to check several dictionaries but in vain.

*The point is that there are as many 'in terms of <noun>' as there are nouns (some of which are surreal). And there are as many 'in <adjective> terms' as there are adjectives. So all your four adverbs could be, respectively,
in terms of exactitude, in exact terms
in terms of generalities, in general terms
in terms of relative positions/relative wealth/relative happiness,..., in relative terms
in terms of practicalities, in practical terms

Saying 'in terms of...' is a device for extending your list of 4 adverbs to (almost) infinity.

b