Definition of definition
1 : an act of determining; specifically : the formal proclamation of a Roman Catholic dogma
2a : a statement expressing the essential nature of somethingb : a statement of the meaning of a word or word group or a sign or symbol dictionary definitionsc : a product of defining
3 : the action or process of stating the meaning of a word or word group
4a : the action or the power of describing, explaining, or making definite and clear the definition of a telescope her comic genius is beyond definitionb (1) : clarity of visual presentation : distinctness of outline or detail improve the definition of an image (2) : clarity especially of musical sound in reproductionc : sharp demarcation of outlines or limits a jacket with distinct waist definition
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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 of definition from the Web
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There is no single definition for what makes a Yankee, but a common use of the term refers to people from New England.
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Dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster checked in with an eye-rolling tweet, and dozens of definitions have been submitted to the Urban Dictionary website, which crowdsources slang terms.
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Further, Japyassú’s definition of cognition may even undersell the level of thought that spiders are capable of, say the spider behaviorists Fiona Cross and Robert Jackson, both of the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.
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But the president has drawn a narrow definition of national security, and one aspect of defense would actually receive less money: protecting the nation from deadly pathogens, man-made or natural.
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A spinning X-ray camera can capture more than 1,000 images of a piece of luggage from different angles, allowing a computer to create a high-definition, three-dimensional view.
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NBA playoffs are the very definition of a spoiler alert.
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Some of this appears to be gifts, as far as the definition under the rules.
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Under the stars and near the bay, the audience will be transported to Hogwarts while experiencing the second of the beloved Harry Potter movies on a giant screen and in high definition.
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.
Origin and Etymology of definition
Middle English diffinicioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin definition-, definitio, from definire —see define
DEFINITION Defined for English Language Learners
definition
playDefinition of definition for English Language Learners
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: an explanation of the meaning of a word, phrase, etc. : a statement that defines a word, phrase, etc.
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: a statement that describes what something is
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: a clear or perfect example of a person or thing
DEFINITION Defined for Kids
definition
playDefinition of definition for Students
1 : a statement of the meaning of a word or a word group
2 : clearness of outline or detail You can adjust the screen for better definition.
Medical Dictionary
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See words that rhyme with definition Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for definition Spanish Central: Translation of definition Nglish: Translation of definition for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of definition for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about definition
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