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

A negative September print could have produced back-to-back quarterly contractions, the definition of recession.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“It’s the very definition of an own goal.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Kennedy admits she has to stop herself from being snobbish about the definition.

Read more on Salon

Estate-planning documents can spell out whether biological children who aren’t known to the family will inherit, overriding state definitions of descendants, said Carole M. Bass, an estate lawyer in New York.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

She confirmed that what I had shared with her was the solid definition of a “situationship.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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