definition

American  

[def-uh-nish-uhn] / ˌdɛf əˈnɪʃ ən /

noun

• definitions
  plural

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.

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definition British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• predefinition
  noun
• redefinition
  noun
• self-definition
  noun
• subdefinition
  noun
• definitional
  adjective
• definitionally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• definitions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of definition

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English diffinicioun, from Old French diffinition, from Latin dēfīnītiōn- (stem of dēfīnītiō ), equivalent to dēfīnīt(us) ( see definite) + -iōn- noun suffix ( see -ion)

Explanation

A good definition explains concisely what something means. Dictionaries include definitions, even for the word definition! A definition precisely explains the fundamental state or meaning of something, often given formally as by lexicographers writing a dictionary or legislators writing laws. It can also refer to a sharply detailed image or concept — like how clear the picture is on a high-definition TV or how cut a Calvin Klein model's abs are.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

definition definitions

One rescinded the longstanding definition of "harm," which had covered habitat destruction.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

Its definition of clothed weight is measured "according to the industry travel clothing policy for the relevant season, including shoes".

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

Granted, it’s by definition not the most diversified grouping, but right now it’s a way to ride the AI trade without worrying much about what the U.S. or Iran will do next.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026

What mattered was less that the meal satisfied any established definition of breakfast than that, sometime after waking, you had allowed yourself to be fed.

From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026

“I’m going to read to you the definition of selfish from the dictionary.”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

The definitions appear below the frames, reminding us that the men were not just shot with a firearm but also by a camera, shot being shot.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

Rights group Amnesty International has said the case "relies on vague, overly broad and arbitrary definitions of 'subversion'".

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

Conventional definitions of the working class often miss how people understand their own place in society.

From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026

Even more, to make serious decisions about our future, we need to state the moral definitions of what it means to be human and the limits on AI’s influence on the social order.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

The major argument running through the letters throughout 1813–1814 concerned their different definitions of social equality and the role of elites in leading and governing the American republic.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

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