If you describe one thing as a poor relationof another, you mean that it is similar to or part of the other thing, but is consideredto be inferior to it.
Watercolour still seems somehow to be the poor relation of oil painting. [+ of]
poor relation in British English
noun
a person or thing considered inferior to another or others
plastic is a poor relation of real leather
Examples of 'poor relation' in a sentence
poor relation
I'm the poor relation in my family.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
At Anfield, he is again playing poor relation to richer rivals.
The Sun (2015)
Cricketers were still the poor relations of sport and vulnerable to pressures applied by bookmakers eager to know in advance the make-up of a team, for example.