Definition of: definition

(def′ə·nish′ən) noun
1. A description or explanation of a word or thing, by its attributes, properties, or relations, that distinguishes it from all other things.
2. The act of stating or showing what a word means, what a thing is, or what the content of a conception is; the act of defining.
3. The state of being definite; fixed shape; definitiveness.
4. The determining of the outline or limits of anything.
5. The state of being clearly out-lined or determined.
6. Optics The power of a lens to give a distinct image at whatever magnification.
7. In television, the clarity of detail in a transmitted image, reckoned in terms of the number of picture elements or scanning lines in each image or frame.
8. In radio, the clearness of sounds received. Synonyms: comment, commentary, description, explanation, exposition, interpretation, rendering, translation. A definition is formal and exact, an explanation general; a description pictorial. A definition must include all that belongs to the object defined, and exclude all that does not; a description may include only some general features: an explanation may simply throw light upon some point of special difficulty. An exposition explains a subject in detail. Interpretation may translate from other languages, or give the plain meaning of difficult passages, or render the thought and emotion of worthy literature by adequate written or oral expression. Definition, explanation, exposition, and interpretation are ordinarily blended in a commentary, which may also include description. A comment is upon a single passage; a commentary may be the same, but is usually understood to be a volume of comments.