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determine

[ dih-tur-min ]
/ dɪˈtɜr mɪn /
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See synonyms for: determine / determined / determines / determining on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), de·ter·mined, de·ter·min·ing.
verb (used without object), de·ter·mined, de·ter·min·ing.
to come to a decision or resolution; decide.
Chiefly Law. to come to an end.
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Origin of determine

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French determiner, from Latin dētermināre “to mark out and fix boundaries,” equivalent to dē- prefix indicating separation + termināre “to bound, limit”; see de-, terminate

OTHER WORDS FROM determine

in·ter·de·ter·mine, verb (used with object), in·ter·de·ter·mined, in·ter·de·ter·min·ing.qua·si-de·ter·mine, verb, qua·si-de·ter·mined, qua·si-de·ter·min·ing.re·de·ter·mine, verb, re·de·ter·mined, re·de·ter·min·ing.un·de·ter·min·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT DETERMINE

What does determine mean?

Determine means to conclude, as after reasoning or observing, as in After considering all my options, I’ve determined which college I want to attend.

Generally, to determine something is to come to a conclusive decision from a place of authority on the subject.

Determine can also mean to cause or control, as in How much homework my teacher assigns will determine whether I can go to the game tonight.

Determine is also used to mean to give direction to, as a boss might determine what tasks their employees will do.

Example: I have determined that the cause of death was cardiac arrest.

Where does determine come from?

The first records of the term determine come from the 1300s. It ultimately comes from the Latin dētermināre, meaning “to mark out and fix boundaries.”

In legal terms, to determine something is to bring it to an end. The term is normally used at the end of a case or a lawsuit and implies the final conclusion of the conflict between parties. When the court determines something, it can rarely be disputed, except by going through the appeals process or opening a new case.

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What are some other forms related to determine

What are some synonyms for determine?

What are some words that share a root or word element with determine

What are some words that often get used in discussing determine?

How is determine used in real life?

Determine is commonly used to talk about decisions being made.

Try using determine!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for determine

A. elect
B. ignore
C. fix
D. resolve

WHEN TO USE

What are other ways to say determine?

To determine is to conclude or ascertain something, as after reasoning or observation. How is determine different from resolve and decide? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.

How to use determine in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for determine

determine
/ (dɪˈtɜːmɪn) /

verb

Word Origin for determine

C14: from Old French determiner, from Latin dētermināre to set boundaries to, from de- + termināre to limit; see terminate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with determine

determine

see bound and determined.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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