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

It defies quick definition, but beautiful is as good a word as any.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Small investors would be well advised to keep in mind that the meme market could be the very definition of a risky place to trade.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That’s because robots are expensive and work best in highly controlled environments, not exactly the definition of city streets.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The new rule aims to put a tighter definition around which organizations qualify.

Read more on MarketWatch

It can be taken to mean a variety of things, with context, tone and absurdity all playing a role in determining its definition in the moment.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

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