definition

[ def-uh-nish-uh n ]
/ ˌdɛf əˈnɪʃ ən /

noun

the act of defining, or of making something definite, distinct, or clear: We need a better definition of her responsibilities.
the formal statement of the meaning or significance of a word, phrase, idiom, etc., as found in dictionaries. An online dictionary resource, such as Dictionary.com, can give users direct, immediate access to the definitions of a term, allowing them to compare definitions from various dictionaries and stay up to date with an ever-expanding vocabulary.
the condition of being definite, distinct, or clearly outlined: His biceps have great muscle definition.
Optics. sharpness of the image formed by an optical system.
Radio and Television. the accuracy of sound or picture reproduction.

Origin of definition

1350–1400; Middle English diffinicioun < Old French diffinition < Latin dēfīnītiōn- (stem of dēfīnītiō), equivalent to dēfīnīt(us) (see definite) + -iōn- -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM definition

Example sentences from the Web for definition

British Dictionary definitions for definition

definition
/ (ˌdɛfɪˈnɪʃən) /

noun

a formal and concise statement of the meaning of a word, phrase, etc
the act of defining a word, phrase, etc
specification of the essential properties of something, or of the criteria which uniquely identify it
the act of making clear or definite
the state or condition of being clearly defined or definite
a measure of the clarity of an optical, photographic, or television image as characterized by its sharpness and contrast

Derived forms of definition

definitional, adjective