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

If Putin's description is correct, the missile is at the upper edge of the definition of hypersonic, and few things can achieve this.

From BBC

As of yet, there is no single, agreed-upon definition of social housing nor is there a single model for how it would work.

From Los Angeles Times

“Advancements in coral taxonomy using DNA has led to the discovery of new species of coral and better taxonomic definition,” Alliji said.

From Salon

For example, she said, “for the service providers, there’s no consistent definition of what is storage, what is a shower, what is a hot meal...and it winds up being the service provider defining those for the people that they’re serving.”

From Los Angeles Times

This definition not only ignores cerebral palsy as a lifelong condition but contributes to a lopsided research focus directed only at pediatric care and not care into adulthood and across the lifespan, experts say.

From Science Daily

Related Words

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