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

Young people are by definition less experienced and by nature more idealistic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

There is no single definition of drought, but it usually refers to a period of prolonged unusually dry weather that can have impacts on people, nature and the environment.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

DAMIEN: USC commit Gavin Williams is the definition of the word elite on defense and offense.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

The acrimonious case centres on the definition and valuation of the couple's shared assets, including Chey's lucrative stake in the SK Group.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

The latter could be forgiven their ignorance, but a weak player—which, by definition, included almost anyone he could beat—had no excuse.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

The states’ case hinges on whether a judge will accept the market definitions outlined in their lawsuit, Garcia and other analysts said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 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

While there are different definitions of Herndon’s “fastest time,” including ones clocked before grease was added, none were by the Class of 1991.

From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026

According to the government, there will be "a narrowly defined list of exemptions" to its definitions for platforms included in the social media ban to keep educational services available to children.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

Some are somewhat interchangeable, and some may have slightly different meanings for different musicians, so no attempt will be made to provide definitions.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Related Words

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