Main Entry:

de·ter·mi·nate

Pronunciation:

\di-ˈtər-mə-nət\

Function:

adjective

Etymology:

Middle English, from Latin determinatus, past participle of determinare

Date:

14th century

1: having defined limits <a determinate period of time>2: definitely settled <a determinate order of precedence>3: conclusively determined : definitive <a determinate answer>4: characterized by sequential flowering from the central or uppermost bud to the lateral or basal buds ; also : characterized by growth in which the main stem ends in an inflorescence and stops growing with only branches from the main stem having further and similarly restricted growth <determinate tomato plants> — compare indeterminate 45: relating to, being, or undergoing egg cleavage in which each division irreversibly separates portions of the zygote with specific potencies for further development

— de·ter·mi·nate·ly adverb

— de·ter·mi·nate·ness noun