defining moment

American  

noun

1. a point at which the essential nature or character of a person, group, etc., is revealed or identified.

---

Etymology

Origin of defining moment

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

Defining moment: Being lectured to not take photographs at the klieg-light-bright Masa — before I even sat down.

From Washington Post • Dec. 21, 2015

Defining moment: Grazing my way through the menu at the groovy Parachute, a mom-and-pop that serves showstoppers including bibimbap with Spanish mackerel and preserved lemon.

From Washington Post • Dec. 21, 2015

Defining moment: Falling head over heels for the vegan menu at the elegant Vedge restaurant, featuring a whole roasted carrot transformed into a marvelous meatless “Reuben.”

From Washington Post • Dec. 21, 2015

Defining moment: He had accepted an offer from a London investment bank when his uncles stepped in.

From Time Magazine Archive

Defining moment: Legendary for thinking outside the box, he spearheaded Origins, the popular botanically based line, and is a champion of the Beauty Bank, an in-house think tank.

From Time Magazine Archive