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definition

noun

def·i·ni·tion | \ ˌde-fə-ˈni-shən

Definition of definition

1a : 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

3a : 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 : an act of determining specifically : the formal proclamation of a Roman Catholic dogma

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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

Recent Examples on the Web

But Reba’s definition of success isn’t exactly simple. — Jason Ikeler, Good Housekeeping, "A Closer Look at Reba McEntire's Iconic Career," 19 Apr. 2019 That definition is important for a lot of reasons, including the fact that a flexible approach to eating means a healthy approach to life. — Gray Chapman, SELF, "A Nightmare About Nachos Made Me Realize That Dieting Was Causing Me Food Anxiety," 27 Mar. 2019 With Chrome 71, Chrome will filter experiences on websites that fall under Google’s definition of abusive. — Dani Deahl, The Verge, "Google releases Chrome 71 with features to block abusive ads," 5 Dec. 2018 The organization’s representatives said at the time that the law’s definition could include divorcées or single parents, which contradicted its religious beliefs. — Vidhi Doshi, Washington Post, "Nun from Mother Teresa’s charity in India arrested on suspicion of selling baby," 6 July 2018 Even if feminism, by definition, means political, economic, and social equality of the sexes—and who can’t get behind that?—the term has attached to it a stigma of chilliness, prudishness, humorlessness. — Lili Anolik, Harper's BAZAAR, "How Eve Babitz Is Becoming an Unlikely Icon for Millennial Women," 24 Jan. 2019 These injuries, by definition, suggest damage to one of the stabilizing structures in the knee joint. — SELF, "How to Know When It’s Safe to Run Through Knee Pain and When You Need to Stop," 7 Dec. 2018 By definition, hypersonic weapons can travel at least five times the speed of sound. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The U.S. Air Force Is Pushing for a Hypersonic Strike Weapon," 11 June 2018 The thinner dye will spread considerably more in your shaving cream, giving you less definition in the colors, and won't produce as much of a marbled look. — Country Living, "How to Make Shaving Cream Easter Eggs for Your Most Colorful Holiday Yet," 15 Mar. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'definition.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for definition

Middle English diffinicioun, borrowed from Anglo-French diffiniciun, definiciun, borrowed from Latin dēfīnītiōn-, dēfīnītiō "fixing of a boundary, precise description," from dēfīnīre "to mark the limits of, determine, define" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

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