definition

[def-uh-nish-uhn]

noun

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.

definition

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of definition¹

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

Example Sentences

In making their case, virtually all have invoked Black’s definition — one Garner has personally penned for the last 30 years.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

However, the couple do admit that the definition of K-beauty remains complex.

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It’s happened often enough that scientists at the Mayo Clinic have a more formal definition for it—involuntary wrist spasms that can stem from a neurological condition called focal dystonia.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In August, Taiwan proposed its largest-ever military budget, which aims to reach 3.32% of its GDP for next year, using NATO’s definition of military spending that include costs for coast guard and veteran pensions.

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The document didn’t provide a clear definition of the rate.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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