DEFINITION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does definition mean? 

• DEFINITION (noun)
  The noun DEFINITION has 2 senses:

1. a concise explanation of the meaning of a word or phrase or symbol

2. clarity of outline

  Familiarity information: DEFINITION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DEFINITION (noun)

Sense 1

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)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Clarity of outline

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

exercise had given his muscles superior definition

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

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

Derivation:

define (show the form or outline of)

 Context examples 

A traditional unit of length equal to 30.479976 centimeters, used before 1959 when the unified international definitions for units of British Imperial system were established.

(Foot British, NCI Thesaurus)

Unlike gastrointestinal stromal tumors, gastric leiomyomas are by definition negative for CD34 and CD117 (C-KIT).

(Gastric Leiomyoma, NCI Thesaurus)

The definition for a genomic biomarker is not limited to human samples.

(Genomic Biomarker, NCI Thesaurus)

A physical constant which appears in the mathematical formula of Newton's definition of gravitational universal force and in Einstein's theory of general relativity.

(Gravitational Constant, NCI Thesaurus)

A coding manual produced by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons that provides definitions and detailed instructions for coding patient diagnosis, treatment, and outcome.

(Facility Oncology Registry Data Standards, NCI Thesaurus)

A category specifying that a product is marketed as a dietary supplement under the statutory definition found in section 201(ff) of Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) (21 U.S.C. 321).

(Dietary Supplement Marketing Category, NCI Thesaurus)

A StudyProtocolDocument groups the various document versions (StudyProtocolDocumentVersions).- The conduct of a study based on a study protocol definition is represented by the StudyExecution class.

(Clinical Study Protocol, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

The protocol specified minimum amount of time needed to meet the definition of a confirmed response to treatment.

(Confirmed Response Minimum Duration, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

A unit of data for which the definition, identification, representation and permissible values are specified by means of a set of attributes.

(Data Element, NCI Thesaurus)

A class that serves to allow many to many relationships between Definitions and ClassSchemeClassSchemeItem, providing uniqueness to the CS/CSI pairing to a definition.

(Definition Class Scheme Item, NCI Thesaurus)