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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

Altering that policy to change the scope of its definition of biased policing was among the report's recommendations to the department. — Lauren Del Valle, CNN, "NYPD didn't substantiate any complaints of police bias over 4 years. Report cites need to improve," 27 June 2019 All administrative jobs are almost by definition going to be thankless, especially when attention focuses on substantive rulings on at least an annual basis. — Hugh Hewitt, Twin Cities, "Hugh Hewitt: A chief justice’s underappreciated legacy comes into focus," 27 June 2019 But the policy, with its strictly physiological definition, was immovable. — Anna Louie Sussman, The New Yorker, "The Case for Redefining Infertility," 18 June 2019 But that shift in priorities can’t happen unless the FCC changes its definition of mission-critical to include private operators. — Popular Mechanics, "The Invisible Battle for America’s Airwaves," 17 June 2019 Though the senator continues to call himself a democratic socialist, his vague definition of socialism is still closer to the social democracy that FDR ushered in. — Conor Lynch, The New Republic, "The Left’s Failure to Envision a World Without Capitalism," 12 June 2019 By definition, the things that are clear-cut have the least room for innovation. — Josh Linkner, Detroit Free Press, "Are you really being productive? It's hard things that unlock growth," 8 June 2019 Merriam-Webster Dictionary lists both variants under their definition of the term. — Morgan Hines, USA TODAY, "Celebrate National Donut Day! Or is it doughnut?," 7 June 2019 The new definition of burnout should be a wake-up call for employers to treat chronic stress that has not been successfully managed as a work health and safety issue. — Michael Musker, Quartz at Work, "Are you suffering from burnout? Ask yourself four questions," 6 June 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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