definition

noun

def·i·ni·tion ˌde-fə-ˈni-shən

Synonyms of definition next

: a statement of the meaning of a word or word group or a sign or symbol

dictionary definitions

: a statement expressing the essential nature of something

: a product of defining

: the action or process of stating the meaning of a word or word group

: 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

: sharp demarcation of outlines or limits

a jacket with distinct waist definition

: an act of determining

specifically : the formal proclamation of a Roman Catholic dogma

definitional

ˌde-fə-ˈni-shə-nᵊl

adjective

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 See More

Recent Examples on the Web Deciding whether an insurrection occurred on Jan. 6 will raise historical and practical questions looking at past insurrections and the consequences of adopting a particular definition that would apply to future disqualifications, according to Magliocca. —

Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 13 Sep. 2023 For the brand’s founders, Andrea Cheung and Devin Perry, a pair of friends since middle school from El Monte and Alhambra, respectively, Street Grandma carries all these definitions and about a million more. —

Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2023 Organizations interested in taking part in the rebate program can find details — as well as a guidelines for meeting the definition of disadvantaged and low-income communities — at the CALeVIP website at https://calevip.org/incentive-project/gspp-incentive-north-south. —

Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2023 The storm intensified more than twice the National Hurricane Center's definition of rapid intensification. —

Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2023 According to this definition, 10 points in a line are one-dimensional, while 10 points spread evenly over a square are two-dimensional. —

Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 8 Sep. 2023 The stores had a standard operating procedure for celebrities or VIPs or anyone famous who came in (the definition of fame getting murkier each year), with the manager told to make sure the person had a good experience, and to use their own judgment if someone asked for free products. —

Jason Sheeler, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2023 Mosby’s lawyers say Congress failed to provide a clear definition in the CARES Act about exactly what that phrase means. —

Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 8 Sep. 2023 Price at time of publish: $445 Pottery Barn Personalized Silver-Plated Picture Frames View On Pottery Barn Silver picture frames like these are the very definition of elegance and make a stunning gift idea for women. —

Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'definition.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler

The first known use of definition was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century