defined
Americanadjective
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determined, fixed, or clearly marked out as to extent, outline, or form.
an itchy red rash with sharply defined edges.
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Mathematics. having an assigned or determinable value under particular conditions.
Etymology
Origin of defined
First recorded in 1720–30; define ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
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.
"Being a digital nomad is not defined by nationality. Our community includes members from many countries, including Indonesia."
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
What do you think of that approach versus having a more defined plan?
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Those items are reminders of the work ethic, drive and connection to family that defined Kent’s trek from Huntington Beach to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
For those who have joined the workforce since the Great Recession, an economic downturn that lasted from late 2007 until mid-2009, financial insecurity has largely defined their economic experiences.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
She refused, over and over, to give any single person her devotion, preferring instead to make a home for herself that she defined on her own terms, and of which she was master.
From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
