delimitation
Americannoun
-
an act, instance, or method of fixing the limits or boundaries of something.
In biology, the fixing of taxonomic boundaries is called species delimitation.
-
the resulting boundary.
At the southern edge, the delimitation of this lowland arctic region corresponds roughly to the treeline.
Etymology
Origin of delimitation
First recorded in 1790–1800; delimit ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )
Vocabulary lists containing delimitation
Human Geography - High School
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Political Geography - High School
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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.
That interpretation is consistent with the 2023 genomic study, which focused on species delimitation in this pit viper group while accounting for gene flow.
From Science Daily • Apr. 21, 2026
The dispute "is blocking the delimitation of the maritime border with New Caledonia and creating problematic legal uncertainties affecting fishing and scientific research activities, for example," it added.
From Barron's • Dec. 18, 2025
He added that “we should be able to sit down with Turkey as reasonable adults and resolve our main difference, which is the delimitation of maritime zones in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean.”
From Seattle Times • Jan. 19, 2023
“We should be able to sit down with Turkey as reasonable adults and resolve our main difference, which is the delimitation of maritime zones in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean.”
From Washington Times • Jan. 19, 2023
The delimitation is thus a quite natural and scientific one, coinciding pretty closely to the water-parting of the two countries.
From In the Border Country by W. S.
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.