DEFINITION

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Clarity of outline

Example:

exercise had given his muscles superior definition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("definition" is a kind of...):

distinctness; sharpness (the quality of being sharp and clear)

Derivation:

define (show the form or outline of)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A concise explanation of the meaning of a word or phrase or symbol

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("definition" is a kind of...):

account; explanation (a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "definition"):

contextual definition (a definition in which the term is used by embedding it in a larger expression containing its explanation)

dictionary definition (a definition that reports the standard uses of a word or phrase or symbol)

explicit definition (a definition that gives an exact equivalent of the term defined)

ostensive definition (a definition that points out or exhibits instances of the term defined)

recursive definition ((mathematics) a definition of a function from which values of the function can be calculated in a finite number of steps)

redefinition (the act of giving a new definition)

stipulative definition (a definition that is stipulated by someone and that is not a standard usage)

Derivation:

define (give a definition for the meaning of a word)

Credits

Context examples:

Definition: Human HTR3A wild-type allele is located in the vicinity of 11q23.1 and is approximately 15 kb in length.

(HTR3A wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

The definition of an international unit is generally arbitrary and technical, and has to be officially approved by the International Conference for Unification of Formulae.

(International Unit, NCI Thesaurus)

In addition, there are horizontal named realationships between concepts called Roles, binary relations between concepts that provide a machine-interpretable definition of a concept and the means for discrimination of sibling concepts.

(NCI Thesaurus Concept, NCI Thesaurus)

Any adverse experience that does not meet the definition of serious.

(Non-serious Adverse Event, NCI Thesaurus)

The target site is often implicit in the definition of the observation itself.

(Performed Observation Approach Anatomic Site Code, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

He shook his head at my definition.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

See 21 CFR 801.437 for full regulatory definition.

(Natural Rubber, Food and Drug Administration)

To meet this definition, the enabling science and technology must be at the nanoscale, but the systems and devices themselves are not restricted to that size.

(Nanoscale Devices and Systems, NCI Thesaurus)

Not all doctors agree on the definition or cause of metabolic syndrome.

(Metabolic Syndrome, NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

By definition, this diagnosis is for lesions that are nonreactive, persistent, and genetically determined.