In a relative manner; often used when comparing array lists, where the term denotes that the items in the lists correspond to each other in the order they are given.
"The average heights of the boys and girls were 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 4 inches, respectively."
In plain English: It means listing things in the exact same order as the people or groups they belong to.
"The three brothers received gold, silver, and bronze medals respectively for their first, second, and third place finishes."
Usage: Use respectively after listing two or more groups of people or things to show that they match with one another in the exact same order. For example, if you mention "Alice and Bob" followed by "the red car and the blue bike," adding respectively clarifies that Alice drove the red car while Bob drove the blue one.
The word respectively comes from combining the Latin root respective with the suffix -ly. It entered English to mean "in a way that corresponds separately or individually."