# definition

/ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃən/ (US) · /dˌɛfɪnˈɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/definition
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. meaning of a word

noun · CEFR B1

an explanation of what a word or phrase means, like what you find in a dictionary.

For teachers: a formal statement of the meaning of a word, phrase, or symbol. Countable in the sense of a specific entry; uncountable when referring to the general practice.

- If you do not know the word, you can look up the definition in your dictionary.
- The legal team spent hours debating the precise definition of 'negligence' to ensure the contract was airtight.

### 2. visual clarity

noun · CEFR B2

how clear and sharp an image or object looks.

For teachers: the degree of distinctness or clarity in an image, outline, or sound. Often used in technical contexts regarding screens or photography.

- The new television has excellent definition, so the picture looks very real.
- The high-definition cameras captured the mountain range with such clarity that individual trees were visible from miles away.

### 4. programming/math

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a statement that gives a specific value or meaning to a name or function in code.

For teachers: a declaration that assigns a value, body, or specific mathematical property to a term or variable.

- The program failed because there was an error in the function definition.
- In this programming language, the definition of a constant must occur before it is referenced in the main execution block.

## Examples

- The dictionary provides a clear definition for every word.
- The teacher asked the students to write a short definition for each new vocabulary term in their notebooks.
- In computer programming, a function definition specifies the exact set of instructions the computer must execute whenever that specific name is called within the code.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.