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Synonyms

determination

American  
[dih-tur-muh-ney-shuhn] / dɪˌtɜr məˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

  1. the act of coming to a decision or of fixing or settling a purpose.

  2. ascertainment, as after observation or investigation.

    determination of a ship's latitude.

  3. the information ascertained; solution.

  4. the settlement of a dispute, question, etc., as by authoritative decision.

  5. the decision or settlement arrived at or pronounced.

  6. the quality of being resolute; firmness of purpose.

  7. a fixed purpose or intention.

    It is my determination to suppress vice.

  8. the fixing or settling of amount, limit, character, etc..

    the determination of a child's allowance.

  9. fixed direction or tendency toward some object or end.

  10. Chiefly Law. conclusion or termination.

  11. Embryology. the fixation of the fate of a cell or group of cells, especially before actual morphological or functional differentiation occurs.

  12. Logic.

    1. the act of rendering a notion more precise by the addition of differentiating characteristics.

    2. the definition of a concept in terms of its constituent elements.


determination British  
/ dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

  1. the act or an instance of making a decision

  2. the condition of being determined; resoluteness

  3. the act or an instance of ending an argument by the opinion or decision of an authority

  4. the act or an instance of fixing or settling the quality, limit, position, etc, of something

  5. a decision or opinion reached, rendered, or settled upon

  6. a resolute movement towards some object or end

  7. law the termination of an estate or interest

  8. law the decision reached by a court of justice on a disputed matter

  9. logic

    1. the process of qualifying or limiting a proposition or concept

    2. the qualifications or limitations used in this process

  10. the condition of embryonic tissues of being able to develop into only one particular tissue or organ in the adult

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • interdetermination noun
  • nondetermination noun
  • redetermination noun

Etymology

Origin of determination

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin dēterminātiōn-, stem of dēterminātiō “boundary, conclusion,” literally “a bounding,” equivalent to dētermināt(us) “bounded” (past participle of dētermināre “to bound, limit”; determine ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Michael Butera, chief technical adviser to Rwanda's minister of justice, told the newspaper: "Through arbitration, Rwanda seeks a legal determination of the parties' respective rights and obligations under the treaty, in accordance with international law."

From BBC

Anger pulses through my veins as the morning sun gets higher, and I walk with greater determination, pulling the donkey and Mother along with me.

From Literature

Billings said he hoped his appearance would show his students and others that hard work and determination could pay off.

From BBC

In some locales, this can also be the term used for the person named to handle financial affairs, but that can be a separate determination, usually referred to as a conservator.

From MarketWatch

In the interview, the president added that his administration was "reviewing everything" about Pretti's death and said that it "will come out with a determination".

From BBC