Definition
/ˌdɛf.ɪˈnɪʃ.ən/noun
A statement that explains the meaning of a word, phrase, or concept.
Did you know?Definition comes from Latin *dēfīnītiō*, from *dēfīnīre* meaning “to limit or mark off,” so the word originally had the energy of drawing a boundary around something rather than simply explaining it.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dheh₁-
“to put, place, set”
Latin
Latin
fīnīs
“end, limit, boundary”
Latin
Latin
dēfīnīre
“to mark off, determine, fix the limits of”
Late Latin
Latin
dēfīnītiō
“a limiting, defining”
Old French
Old French
definition
“a definition, explanation”
Middle English
English
definicioun
“a statement of meaning or limits”
Modern English
English
definition
“a statement that explains the meaning of a word or concept”