definition
noun/ˌdɛf.ɪˈnɪʃ.ən/ · /ˌdɛf.əˈnɪʃ.ən/
Etymology From Middle English diffinicioun, from Middle French definition, from Latin dēfīnītiō, from dēfīniō. Equivalent to define + -ition.
14 senses
- 1A statement of the meaning of a word, word group, sign…
- 2A clear instance conforming to the dictionary or…
- 3A statement expressing the essential nature of…
- 4The action or process of defining.
- 5The act of defining; determination of the limits.
- 6A product of defining.
- 7The action or power of describing, explaining, or making…
- 8Clarity of visual presentation, distinctness of outline…
- 9Clarity, especially of musical sound in reproduction.
- 10Sharp demarcation of outlines or limits.
- 11The degree to which individual muscles are distinct on the body.
- 12A statement which provides a previous declaration with a…
- 13A statement that establishes the referent of a term or notation.
- 14The part of a cryptic clue which defines but does not…
Human sciences, Lexicography, Linguistics, Sciences, Semantics A statement of the meaning of a word, word group, sign, or symbol; especially, a dictionary definition.
- Your definition of "elephant" needs to be more precise than "a big animal with large ears".
- DEFINITIONS mean nothing unless the concept in the mind of the men who makes the definition is the same as that in the mind of the man who hears it.1925, Thomas R. Marshall, Recollections of Thomas R. Marshall, Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, →OL, page 65:
1 more example
- Phrases such as “woman of the moment” were added to equal the old saying of the “man of the moment.” And one of the definitions of “woman” now refers to a “person’s wife, girlfriend, or female lover,” as opposed to being tied to only a man.2020 November 9, Christina Zdanowicz, “Oxford dictionaries change ‘sexist’ and outdated definitions of the word ‘woman’”, in CNN:
Usually, With the definite article the A clear instance conforming to the dictionary or textbook definition.
- Baroque is a good game, but only for a very narrow subset of the gaming audience. It is the very definition of a niche title.2008 May, Shoeless Wayne Santos, “Baroque” (game review), GameAxis Unwired, Hardware Zone Pte, page 51
- Comedy Bang! Bang! It’s silly, it spoofy – it’s the very definition of a hidden gem2016 March 1, Stuart Heritage, “Comedy Bang! Bang! It’s silly, it spoofy - it’s the very definition of a hidden gem”, in The Guardian:
1 more example
- That Trump just came out and asked for Zelensky to investigate the Bidens – after reminding him several times of how much the US did for Ukraine!!!! – is something very close to the textbook definition of a quid pro quo.2019 September 25, Chris Cilizza, “The Ukraine call ‘transcript’ is pretty darn close to a smoking gun”, in ThePo!nt, CNN:
A statement expressing the essential nature of something; formulation.
The action or process of defining.
The act of defining; determination of the limits.
A product of defining.
The action or power of describing, explaining, or making definite and clear.
- Her comic genius is beyond definition.
Clarity of visual presentation, distinctness of outline or detail.
- The definition of a telescope.
- Improve the definition of an image.
1 more example
- high-definition videos
Clarity, especially of musical sound in reproduction.
Sharp demarcation of outlines or limits.
- A jacket with distinct waist definition.
Bodybuilding, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports The degree to which individual muscles are distinct on the body.
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Programming, Sciences A statement which provides a previous declaration with a value or body of a subroutine (in the case of function).
Mathematics, Sciences A statement that establishes the referent of a term or notation.
The part of a cryptic clue which defines but does not indicate the solution.
- However, some clues include words that do not form part of the wordplay or the definition.2014, Henry Howarth, Learn How to Solve Cryptic Crosswords: A Course for Beginners, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 59:
- Synonyms
- definition, meaning
- Derived terms
- by definition, counterdefinition, daffynition, definitioneering, definitionism, definitionless, definition list, high-definition, metadefinition, misdefinition, nondefinition, overdefinition, predefinition, redefinition, subdefinition, undefinition, underdefinition
- Related terms
- define, definiendum, definiens, definitional, definition by example, definition by pointing, genus, differentia, demarcation, specification, formulation
- Hypernyms
- statement
- Hyponyms
- circular definition, conceptual definition, cryptic definition, dictionary definition, double definition, enhanced definition, enumerative definition, extended definition, extensional definition, high definition, inductive definition, intensional definition, lexical definition, operational definition, ostensive definition, precising definition, recursive definition, standard definition, stipulative definition, working definition
- Holonyms
- dictionary, glossary, lexicography, semantics
- Meronyms
- genus, differentia