definitive

1 of 2

adjective

de·​fin·​i·​tive di-ˈfi-nə-tiv 

1

: serving to provide a final solution or to end a situation

a definitive victory

could not give a definitive diagnosis

2

: authoritative and apparently exhaustive

a definitive critical biography

3

a

: serving to define or specify precisely

established definitive guidelines for sentencing criminals

b

: serving as a perfect example : quintessential

a definitive bourgeois

A slow race is the definitive Leechfield competition. You win it by coming in last.

—Mary Karr

4

biology : fully differentiated or developed

a definitive organ

5

of a postage stamp : issued as a regular stamp for the country or territory in which it is to be used

definitively adverb

definitiveness noun

definitive

2 of 2

noun

: a postage stamp issued as a regular stamp for the country or territory in which it is to be used : a definitive (see definitive entry 1 sense 5) postage stamp compare provisional

Did you know?

Something definitive is complete and final. A definitive example is the perfect example. A definitive answer is usually a strong yes or no. A definitive biography contains everything we'll ever need to know about someone. Ella Fitzgerald's famous 1950s recordings of American songs have even been called definitive--but no one ever wanted them to be the last.

Synonyms

Adjective

• authoritative
• classic
• classical
• magisterial

Choose the Right Synonym for definitive

conclusive, decisive, determinative, definitive mean bringing to an end.

conclusive applies to reasoning or logical proof that puts an end to debate or questioning.

conclusive evidence

decisive may apply to something that ends a controversy, a contest, or any uncertainty.

a decisive battle

determinative adds an implication of giving a fixed character or direction.

the determinative factor in the court's decision

definitive applies to what is put forth as final and permanent.

the definitive biography

Examples of definitive in a Sentence

Adjective

We need a definitive answer to this question.

The court has issued a definitive ruling.

a definitive collection of the band's albums

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Indeed, there can be no one definitive narrative of a company’s culture, especially that of a $43 billion multinational brand: Every employee’s experience is their own. —Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024

The company has signed a definitive agreement for 30 million US Dollars Series-A funding and has obtained the long-term rights to the hydrogen port terminal facilities in Luis Correia, Brazil. —Sacramento Bee, 26 Apr. 2024

In conjunction with the execution of the definitive agreement, TuHURA entered into subscription agreements for a $31 million financing. —Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024

The definitive annual gathering of top Asian Pacific and multicultural leaders will bring together more than 600 guests to celebrate the 2024 A100 list — which will be announced on May 1 — which counts down the 100 most impactful Asian Pacific changemakers in culture and society over the past year. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 25 Apr. 2024

There is no definitive measurement of that quake since the Richter scale has only been around since the mid-1930s, but the tectonic shift still killed 60 people. —Fox News, 21 Apr. 2024

While a definitive figure on annual denials is elusive, the numbers are substantial. —Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024

But these numbers aren’t the definitive rate of how often sharks successfully attack and eat dolphins. —Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024

In late March, the video game publisher struck a definitive agreement with Embracer Group to acquire The Gearbox Entertainment Co., the maker of the Borderlands franchise, for $460 million in stock. —Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Apr. 2024

Noun

This past year was, by any definitive, a rough one for the cryptoasset industry, and ended with what looks like a massive fraud being uncovered in the form of FTX. —Sean Stein Smith, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2022

The road toward answering this question with a definitive yes doesn’t end with one game. —Stephen Means, cleveland, 3 Sep. 2022

Now, Lauper is taking that iconic line and lending it to Sony Music Entertainment as the title of her forthcoming definitive, career-spanning documentary. —Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 May 2022

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English diffynytif, borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French diffinitif "final, decisive," borrowed from Medieval Latin dēfīnītīvus, diffīnītīvus, going back to Latin dēfīnītīvus "involving definition," from dēfīnītus "limited, clearly defined" (past participle of dēfīnīre "to mark the limits of, determine, define") + -īvus -ive

Noun

derivative of definitive entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1951, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing definitive

• definitive host

Kids Definition

definitive

adjective

de·​fin·​i·​tive

di-ˈfin-ət-iv

1

: serving to provide a final solution : decisive

a definitive victory

2

: being the most accurate and thorough

the definitive book on the subject

3

: serving to define or specify precisely

definitive laws

definitively adverb

definitiveness noun

Medical Definition

definitive

adjective

de·​fin·​i·​tive di-ˈfin-ət-iv 

: fully differentiated or developed

a definitive organ