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definition
noun
def·i·ni·tion
ˌde-fə-ˈni-shən 
1
a
: a statement of the meaning of a word or word group or a sign or symbol
dictionary definitions
b
: a statement expressing the essential nature of something
c
: a product of defining
2
: the action or process of stating the meaning of a word or word group
3
a
: the action or the power of describing, explaining, or making definite and clear
the definition of a telescope
her comic genius is beyond definition
b(1)
: clarity of visual presentation : distinctness of outline or detail
improve the definition of an image
(2)
: clarity especially of musical sound in reproduction
c
: sharp demarcation of outlines or limits
a jacket with distinct waist definition
4
: a clear or perfect example of a person or thing
the very definition of a gentleman
5
: an act of determining
specifically
: the formal proclamation of a Roman Catholic dogma
Examples of definition in a Sentence
For the last eight years or so, I've been watching the evolution of bikes made for women. At the beginning of that time, there were a small number of women's bikes available, most offered with low-end, sometimes no-name, spec, as if by definition all women riders were beginners.
—
Christine Bucher, Bicycling, March 2008
Not only is Ellen Byrne a chocolatier, but she takes the definition of artisan to a higher level.
—Amy Johansson, Chocolatier, February/March 2006
One kind of poverty is that of the imagination—the inability to envision a future truly different from the present. Jasmine had long judged people based on whether or not they gave her food and clothing, but, as she watched Carolyn and Gus and other families, she found herself mulling different gauges of worth. She'd been working lately on a definition of love.
—Katherine Boo, New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2005
Ideology thus provides definition of both systemic reality and values: it provides a set of preconceptions of what is and of what ought to be.
—Warren J. Samuels, Modern Economic Thought, (1977) 1993
What is the legal definition of a corporation?
A week of fishing is my definition of a vacation.
a monitor with good definition and vibrant colors
Christine Bucher, Bicycling, March 2008
Not only is Ellen Byrne a chocolatier, but she takes the definition of artisan to a higher level.
—Amy Johansson, Chocolatier, February/March 2006
One kind of poverty is that of the imagination—the inability to envision a future truly different from the present. Jasmine had long judged people based on whether or not they gave her food and clothing, but, as she watched Carolyn and Gus and other families, she found herself mulling different gauges of worth. She'd been working lately on a definition of love.
—Katherine Boo, New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2005
Ideology thus provides definition of both systemic reality and values: it provides a set of preconceptions of what is and of what ought to be.
—Warren J. Samuels, Modern Economic Thought, (1977) 1993
What is the legal definition of a corporation?
A week of fishing is my definition of a vacation.
a monitor with good definition and vibrant colors
Recent Examples on the Web
The new definition of Mormon perfection looks different now, but that’s not to say the pursuit of looking naturally beautiful is easier than looking artificially enhanced.
—Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 26 Mar. 2026
The letter marks a shift in how law enforcement approaches the market of industrial hemp, which sidesteps Missouri’s regulated market with products that are intoxicating but outside of the federal government’s definition of marijuana.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
The tension here is not a dispute between art and architecture, but between incompatible definitions of making.
—Julian Rose, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
The Council’s definition of at risk of eviction encompassed anyone who had gotten a demand letter from their landlord, a first step in an often months- or years-long process towards eviction.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for definition
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Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 26 Mar. 2026
The letter marks a shift in how law enforcement approaches the market of industrial hemp, which sidesteps Missouri’s regulated market with products that are intoxicating but outside of the federal government’s definition of marijuana.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
The tension here is not a dispute between art and architecture, but between incompatible definitions of making.
—Julian Rose, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
The Council’s definition of at risk of eviction encompassed anyone who had gotten a demand letter from their landlord, a first step in an often months- or years-long process towards eviction.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for definition
Cite this Entry
“Definition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/definition. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
definition
noun
def·i·ni·tion
ˌdef-ə-ˈnish-ən
1
: an act of determining or settling the limits
2
a
: a statement of the meaning of a word or word group or a sign or symbol
b
: the action or process of defining
3
a
: the action or the power of making definite and clear
b
Medical Definition
definition
noun
def·i·ni·tion
ˌdef-ə-ˈnish-ən
: the action or the power of making definite and clear
the definition of a microscope lens
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