definition

American  

[def-uh-nish-uhn] / ˌdɛf əˈnɪʃ ən /

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.

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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

• definitional adjective
• definitionally adverb
• predefinition noun
• redefinition noun
• self-definition noun
• subdefinition noun

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) ( definite ) + -iōn- noun suffix ( -ion )

Example Sentences

“Running is a high-impact sport by definition, and there are injuries that happen. That being said, we are still improving the product.”

From The Wall Street Journal

This is a losing battle by definition, one that testifies to the nihilistic self-hatred and appetite for self-destruction that Baudrillard observed in 2002.

From Salon

When she couldn’t remember definitions of basic insurance terms, her husband suggested sticking Post-it Notes on her computer.

From The Wall Street Journal

That is, indeed, the definition of a bubble — people buying investments not because the cash flow justifies the price but because they expect the price to go up.

From MarketWatch

US District Judge Margaret Garnett ruled last week that the charges did not meet "the federal statutory definition of a 'crime of violence' as matter of law".

From BBC

Related Words

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