definition
What something means
The commonest kind of definition is an explanation of the meaning of a word: Students often consult dictionary definitions to better understand what words mean. Changing laws have forced many dictionary editors to reconsider the definition of marriage.
Definition also means the quality of being easily distinguishable: In his paintings, figures lack clear definition, leaving them subject to interpretation.
Fundamental nature of something
- meaningWhat something signifies
- natureInherent quality or disposition
- identityWho someone is
- conceptAbstract mental construct
notion · characterization · abstraction · principle · attribute · property · quality · feature
Act of explaining clearly
- clarificationMaking meaning plain
- explicationDetailed interpretive analysis
- descriptionAccount of characteristics
- expositionSystematic explanatory presentation
interpretation · meaning · annotation · gloss · commentary · paraphrase · illustration · delineation
Vocabulary of a language
- glossaryAlphabetical list with definitions
- entryAccess or submission
- headwordEntry term in dictionaries
- etymologyWord origin study
pronunciation · denotation · connotation · usage · terminology · nomenclature · lexicography · wordbook
Correctness in every detail
- specificityExactness of detail
- clarityState of being understandable
- sharpnessKeenness of edge, mind, or image
- distinctnessQuality of being distinguishable
explicitness · detail · rigor · accuracy · unambiguous · clear-cut · crisp · strict
Act of interpreting meaning
- readingInterpreting written text
- understandingMental comprehension of something
- sensePerception or judgment
- nuanceSlight shade of difference
context · perspective · angle · slant · hermeneutics · exegesis · inference · implication
Maximum allowed extent
- demarcationFormal boundary setting
- scopeExtent or range
- parameterBoundary-setting factor
- constraintLimiting condition or rule
delineation · outline · contour · circumscription · border · edge · extent · range
essence
Fundamental nature of something
concept · notion · characterization · abstraction · principle · attribute · property · quality · feature · characteristic
elucidation
Act of explaining clearly
- clarificationMaking meaning plain
- explicationDetailed interpretive analysis
- descriptionAccount of characteristics
exposition · interpretation · meaning · annotation · gloss · commentary · paraphrase · illustration · delineation · expounding
lexicon
Vocabulary of a language
- glossaryAlphabetical list with definitions
- entryAccess or submission
- headwordEntry term in dictionaries
etymology · pronunciation · denotation · connotation · usage · terminology · nomenclature · lexicography · wordbook · thesaurus
exactness
Correctness in every detail
- specificityExactness of detail
- clarityState of being understandable
- sharpnessKeenness of edge, mind, or image
distinctness · explicitness · detail · rigor · accuracy · unambiguous · clear-cut · crisp · strict · narrow
construal
Act of interpreting meaning
- readingInterpreting written text
- understandingMental comprehension of something
- sensePerception or judgment
nuance · context · perspective · angle · slant · hermeneutics · exegesis · inference · implication · ambiguity
limit
Maximum allowed extent
- demarcationFormal boundary setting
- scopeExtent or range
- parameterBoundary-setting factor
constraint · delineation · outline · contour · circumscription · border · edge · extent · range · domain
- vocabularyword, words, new words, term, terms
- dictionariesdictionary, dictionaries, entries, headwords, bilingual dictionary
- language termsgrammar, word, vocabulary, syntax, synonym
- meaningmeaning, sense, significance, denotation, connotation
- clarifying languagenamely, specifically, in other words, that is, for example
- clarityclearness, clear, obvious, simplification, concise
definitionambiguity
Openness to multiple interpretations
vagueness · confusion · obscurity · abstruseness · haziness
definitionblur
Lack of sharpness
blurriness · fuzziness · softness · indistinctness · low resolution
definitionexample
Representative case shown
illustration · instance · demonstration · exemplification · case
- high definitionSuperior visual resolution
- by definitionAs a matter of meaning
- dictionary definitionA word's stated meaning
- muscle definitionVisible contour of physique
- definitive treatmentIntervention resolving underlying disease
- working definitionTentative operational meaning
definitive, definitions, definitively, redefinition, definitional, redefinitions, definitiveness