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

Derived Forms

• ˌdefiˈnitional, adjective

Other Words From

• def·i·ni·tion·al adjective
• def·i·ni·tion·al·ly adverb
• pre·def·i·ni·tion noun
• re·def·i·ni·tion noun
• self-def·i·ni·tion noun
• sub·def·i·ni·tion 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

I can’t recall ever seeing an adjusted EBITDA definition with 12 different categories of exclusion.

From TechCrunch

“Part of the promise of this technology is that a fan of any show, by definition, usually wants to know more about it, more about the characters,” Moore said.

From TechCrunch

With every definition of home in shambles, it would be a wonder the homeless still feel so lost if it weren’t for the humanity at stake.

From Nautilus

John Chaney, eternally fiery and relentlessly competitive, was the definition of toughnessThose holiday phone calls never lasted less than an hour.

From Washington Post

There is no formal definition of an uncivil war, but America is increasingly split between members of two political parties that hate each other.

From FiveThirtyEight

Nor does the jet have the ability to capture high-definition video, utilize an infra-red pointer.

From The Daily Beast

Those who are by definition free of the biases that come with living near or working with those entrusted to protect us.

From The Daily Beast

Editor's Note: This article has been revised to include the definition and text of Section 12.

From The Daily Beast

Back in 2001, that “definition” of female beauty basically fell into two categories: Playboy chic, or heroin chic.

From The Daily Beast

Under that definition, forced kissing can certainly constitute as a form of sexual assault.

From The Daily Beast

Since we are to learn by thinking we must at the outset learn the definition of the three Laws of Thinking.

From Project Gutenberg

In a party of wits an argument took place as to the definition of a reasonable animal.

From Project Gutenberg

After much thinking I have arrived at a definition of Swadeshi that, perhaps, best illustrates my meaning.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus, as for religion, in order to satisfy the requirements of the definition, I must restrict myself to my ancestral religion.

From Project Gutenberg

They would probably have little effect on the definition, and at any rate could not be expected to improve it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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