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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

First, pretending to be other people, which by definition includes other kinds of people, is what actors do. — Ty Burr, BostonGlobe.com, "Who gets to play transgender roles?," 12 July 2018 Why not volunteer at a shelter, some consulted wondered, instead of playing with dogs that, by virtue of being at Biscuits & Bath, are by definition well cared for? — Judith Newman, New York Times, "Committing to a Dog Is Hard. This Place Lets You Just Flirt.," 4 July 2018 By definition, the best offensive or defensive player in football will only be on the field for half the game and be subject to more variance because every play involves 22 players rather than 10. — Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, "The NBA isn't fair, you say? Maybe you're looking at it the wrong way," 4 July 2018 Because, by that definition, a lot of modern-day decisions were apart from that, and that even so-called conservative justice, now swing vote justices, have veered from that. — Fox News, "Sen. Rand Paul: Supreme Court vote will be divided along party lines," 28 June 2018 His main thing is Transcendental Meditation®, which, by definition, is inward-oriented. — Thomas Harlander, Los Angeles Magazine, "Maybe We Should Take David Lynch’s Thoughts on Trump with a Grain of Salt," 27 June 2018 By definition, the worst of them would be hard, if not impossible, to get to know. — Bijan Stephen, The Verge, "The gospel of Elon Musk, according to his flock," 26 June 2018 By definition, a refugee is one who flees their homeland, often to escape persecution, war, gang violence or something else. — Michael Katz, idahostatesman, "Seeking safety after war-torn pasts, refugees become citizens and are 'reborn' in Boise," 23 June 2018 The cowardice of silence perpetuates injustice and anything that perpetuates evil is, by definition, also evil. — Michael Harriot, The Root, "White People Are Cowards," 19 June 2018

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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