definition

American  

[def-uh-nish-uhn] / ˌdɛf əˈnɪʃ ən /

noun

• definitions
  plural

1. the act of defining, or of making something definite, distinct, or clear.

   We need a better definition of her responsibilities.

2. the formal statement of the meaning or significance of a word, phrase, idiom, etc., as found in dictionaries. An online dictionary resource, such as Dictionary.com, can give users direct, immediate access to the definitions of a term, allowing them to compare definitions from various dictionaries and stay up to date with an ever-expanding vocabulary.

3. the condition of being definite, distinct, or clearly outlined.

   His biceps have great muscle definition.

4. Optics. sharpness of the image formed by an optical system.

5. Radio and Television. the accuracy of sound or picture reproduction.

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definition British  

/ ˌdɛfɪˈnɪʃən /

noun

1. a formal and concise statement of the meaning of a word, phrase, etc

2. the act of defining a word, phrase, etc

3. specification of the essential properties of something, or of the criteria which uniquely identify it

4. the act of making clear or definite

5. the state or condition of being clearly defined or definite

6. a measure of the clarity of an optical, photographic, or television image as characterized by its sharpness and contrast

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• predefinition
  noun
• redefinition
  noun
• self-definition
  noun
• subdefinition
  noun
• definitional
  adjective
• definitionally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• definitions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of definition

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English diffinicioun, from Old French diffinition, from Latin dēfīnītiōn- (stem of dēfīnītiō ), equivalent to dēfīnīt(us) ( see definite) + -iōn- noun suffix ( see -ion)

Explanation

A good definition explains concisely what something means. Dictionaries include definitions, even for the word definition! A definition precisely explains the fundamental state or meaning of something, often given formally as by lexicographers writing a dictionary or legislators writing laws. It can also refer to a sharply detailed image or concept — like how clear the picture is on a high-definition TV or how cut a Calvin Klein model's abs are.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

definition definitions

“I don’t think drinking or not drinking alcohol should have any impact on the definition of socialization.”

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

This week, Kennedy carried that project further, promising the federal government’s first official definition of ultra-processed food.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

Regardless, if it doesn’t exceed the recent highs in two more days, that will be a buy signal by definition.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

Investigation work found the site did not meet the legal definition of contaminated land.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

By definition, aesthetic is “that which concerns the beautiful.”

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

Conventional definitions of the working class often miss how people understand their own place in society.

From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026

Many people are afraid to pursue a path that runs counter to conventional definitions of success.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

The states’ case hinges on whether a judge will accept the market definitions outlined in their lawsuit, Garcia and other analysts said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

Even more, to make serious decisions about our future, we need to state the moral definitions of what it means to be human and the limits on AI’s influence on the social order.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

But these two definitions, career and maleness, were a lot clearer to me than the idea of race.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers

Related Words

• answer
• explanation
• interpretation
• rationale
• solution
• translation