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

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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)

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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

And the definition of “consumer” includes any “subscriber of goods or services” from the provider.

From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2026

The “solution” in both instances is universality, both geographically and in terms of the definition of the tax base.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

In an article, they note that the definition used in the measure hews closely to another section of California law, which distinguishes providing internet services from offering content, services and applications online.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

The benchmark for the definition is the sea-surface temperature anomaly in part of the Pacific Ocean, which is now at record levels.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

Me, better than any wheelie-popper because I have explosives, which by definition are cooler than anything you can do on a bike, obviously.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

As California ushers in its certification label, she said, other states could adopt similar certification programs or develop their own definitions of ultraprocessed foods while a uniform federal definition is still in the works.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

But critics say its broad definitions, severe penalties and scrutiny of even voluntary conversions risk drawing the state and the police into one of the most private decisions a person can make.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

When asked to specify what in the law backed its interpretation, the commission cited the separate definitions section and wouldn’t comment further.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

A message to Anthropic on its accounting definitions wasn’t returned.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026

Immie refused to strive for greatness or to work toward other people’s definitions of success.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart

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Related Words

• answer
• explanation
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