Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

de·ter·mi·nate       (dĭ-tûr'mə-nĭt)  Pronunciation Key  adj.   Precisely limited or defined; definite: a determinate number; a determinate distance. Conclusively settled; final. Firm in purpose; resolute. Botany Terminating in a flower and blooming in a sequence beginning with the uppermost or central flower; cymose: a determinate inflorescence. Not continuing indefinitely at the tip of an axis: determinate growth. [Middle English, from Latin dēterminātus, past participle of dētermināre, to determine; see determine.] de·ter'mi·nate·ly adv., de·ter'mi·nate·ness n.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

determinate
adjective
1.	precisely determined or limited or defined; especially fixed by rule or by a specific and constant cause; "a determinate distance"; "a determinate number"; "determinate variations in animals" [ant: indeterminate]
2.	not continuing to grow indefinitely at the apex; "determinate growth" [ant: indeterminate]
3.	supplying or being a final or conclusive settlement; "a definitive verdict"; "a determinate answer to the problem" [syn: definitive]

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

determinate       (dĭ-tûr'mə-nĭt)  Pronunciation Key  Precisely determined, limited, or defined. Not continuing to grow at an apical meristem. In the cyme, a determinate inflorescence, for example, the first floret develops at the end of the meristem, and no further elongation of the inflorescence can occur.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Determinate

Def"i*nite\, a. [L. definitis, p. p. of definire: cf. F. d['e]fini. See Define.]

1. Having certain or distinct; determinate in extent or greatness; limited; fixed; as, definite dimensions; a definite measure; a definite period or interval.

Elements combine in definite proportions. --Whewell.

2. Having certain limits in signification; determinate; certain; precise; fixed; exact; clear; as, a definite word, term, or expression.

3. Determined; resolved. [Obs.] --Shak.

4. Serving to define or restrict; limiting; determining; as, the definite article.

Definite article (Gram.), the article the, which is used to designate a particular person or thing, or a particular class of persons or things; -- also called a definitive. See Definitive, n. -

Definite inflorescence. (Bot.) See Determinate inflorescence, under Determinate.

Law of definite proportions (Chem.), the essential law of chemical combination that every definite compound always contains the same elements in the same proportions by weight; and, if two or more elements form more than one compound with each other, the relative proportions of each are fixed. Compare Law of multiple proportions, under Multiple.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Determinate

De*ter"mi*nate\, a. [L. determinatus, p. p. of determinare. See Determine.]

1. Having defined limits; not uncertain or arbitrary; fixed; established; definite.

Quantity of words and a determinate number of feet. --Dryden.

2. Conclusive; decisive; positive.

The determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. --Acts ii. 23.

3. Determined or resolved upon. [Obs.]

My determinate voyage. --Shak.

4. Of determined purpose; resolute. [Obs.]

More determinate to do than skillful how to do. --Sir P. Sidney.

Determinate inflorescence (Bot.), that in which the flowering commences with the terminal bud of a stem, which puts a limit to its growth; -- also called centrifugal inflorescence.

Determinate problem (Math.), a problem which admits of a limited number of solutions.

Determinate quantities, Determinate equations (Math.), those that are finite in the number of values or solutions, that is, in which the conditions of the problem or equation determine the number.