def·i·ni·tion

[def-uh-nish-uhn]
noun
1.
the act of making definite, distinct, or clear; a defining: We need a better definition of her responsibilities.
2.
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.
3.
the condition of being definite, distinct, or clearly outlined: His biceps have great muscle definition.
4.
Optics. sharpness of the image formed by an optical system.
5.
Radio and Television. the accuracy of sound or picture reproduction.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English diffinicioun < Old French diffinition < Latin dēfīnītiōn- (stem of dēfīnītiō), equivalent to dēfīnīt(us) (see definite) + -iōn- -ion

Related forms
def·i·ni·tion·al, adjective
def·i·ni·tion·al·ly, adverb
pre·def·i·ni·tion, noun
re·def·i·ni·tion, noun
self-def·i·ni·tion, noun
sub·def·i·ni·tion, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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00:10
Definition is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
definition (ˌdɛfɪˈnɪʃən) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n
1.  a formal and concise statement of the meaning of a word, phrase, etc
2.  the act of defining a word, phrase, etc
3.  specification of the essential properties of something, or of the criteria which uniquely identify it
4.  the act of making clear or definite
5.  the state or condition of being clearly defined or definite
6.  a measure of the clarity of an optical, photographic, or television image as characterized by its sharpness and contrast
 
defi'nitional
 
—adj

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

definition
late 14c., "setting of boundaries," from O.Fr. definicion, from L. definitionem, noun of action from definire (see define). In logic, meaning "act of stating what something means" is from 1640s; meaning "a statement of the essential nature of something" is from late 14c.;
special focus on words developed after c.1550. Meaning "degree of distinctness of the details in a picture" is from 1889.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
And he can never break out of that definition, no matter what happens to him.
Ask them to make a second and it should, by definition, be less accurate.
Financial crises, almost by definition, are unexpected.
By his definition, and only his definition, it worked fine.
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