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Definition synonyms

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meaning
The practical or essential significance of some concept or quality
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  1. The practical or essential significance of some concept or quality
  2. A sense of importance or purpose:
  3. Something that is conveyed or intended, especially by language; sense or significance:
signification
The action or process of signifying:
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  1. The action or process of signifying:
  2. Significance; meaning
  3. Meaning or significance, especially of a word.
explanation
The act or process of explaining:
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  1. The act or process of explaining:
  2. A mutual defining of terms, declaration of motives, etc. to clear up a misunderstanding or settle a dispute
  3. The interpretation, meaning, or sense given in explaining
description
A statement or an account describing something:
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  1. A statement or an account describing something:
  2. A statement or passage that describes
  3. The act, process, art, or technique of describing or picturing in words
denotation
Something signified or referred to; a particular meaning of a symbol.
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  1. Something signified or referred to; a particular meaning of a symbol.
  2. The direct, explicit meaning or reference of a word or term
  3. The most specific or direct meaning of a word, in contrast to its figurative or associated meanings.
diagnosis
(Biology) A brief description of the distinguishing characteristics of an organism, as for taxonomic classification.
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  1. (Biology) A brief description of the distinguishing characteristics of an organism, as for taxonomic classification.
  2. (Medicine) The act or process of identifying or determining the nature and cause of a disease or injury through evaluation of patient history, examination, and review of laboratory data.
  3. The act or process of discovering or identifying a diseased condition by means of a medical examination, laboratory test, etc.
analogue
A thing or part that is analogous
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  1. A thing or part that is analogous
synonym
An incorrect taxonomic name
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  1. An incorrect taxonomic name
  2. (Biology) One of two or more scientific names that have been applied to the same species or other taxonomic group.
  3. A word having the same or nearly the same meaning as another word or other words in a language.
exposition
The action of putting something out to public view; for example in a display or show.
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  1. The action of putting something out to public view; for example in a display or show.
  2. A setting forth of meaning or intent.
  3. A statement or rhetorical discourse intended to give information about or an explanation of difficult material.
elucidation
A making clear; the act of elucidating or that which elucidates, as an explanation, an exposition, an illustration; as, one example may serve for further elucidation of the subject.
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  1. A making clear; the act of elucidating or that which elucidates, as an explanation, an exposition, an illustration; as, one example may serve for further elucidation of the subject.
rendering
A drawing in perspective of a proposed structure.
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  1. A drawing in perspective of a proposed structure.
  2. (--- Masonry) A coat of plaster applied directly to brickwork, etc.
  3. Version; translation.
drift
(Linguis.) A gradual change along a certain line of development in the various elements of a language
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  1. (Linguis.) A gradual change along a certain line of development in the various elements of a language
  2. A gradual deviation from an original course, model, method, or intention.
  3. General meaning or purport; tenor:
sense
Intellectual interpretation, as of the significance of an event or the conclusions reached by a group:
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  1. Intellectual interpretation, as of the significance of an event or the conclusions reached by a group:
  2. Natural understanding or intelligence, especially in practical matters:
  3. A perception or feeling produced by a stimulus; sensation:
referent
(Linguis.) The object, concept, event, etc. referred to by a term or expression
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  1. (Linguis.) The object, concept, event, etc. referred to by a term or expression
  2. (Semantics) The specific entity in the world that a word or phrase identifies or denotes.
  3. A person or thing to which a linguistic expression refers.
interpretation
A performer's distinctive personal version of a song, dance, piece of music, or role; a rendering.
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  1. A performer's distinctive personal version of a song, dance, piece of music, or role; a rendering.
  2. An explanation or conceptualization by a critic of a work of literature, painting, music, or other art form; an exegesis.
  3. The act or result of interpreting; explanation, meaning, translation, exposition, etc.
clue
Something that leads out of a perplexity; esp., a fact or object that helps to solve a problem or mystery
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  1. Something that leads out of a perplexity; esp., a fact or object that helps to solve a problem or mystery
individuation
The distinction or determination of the individual within the general or universal.
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  1. The distinction or determination of the individual within the general or universal.
  2. (Philosophy) The distinction of the individual from the general or universal.
  3. The act or process of individuating, especially the process by which social individuals become differentiated one from the other.
exemplification
(Law) An officially certified copy of a document.
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  1. (Law) An officially certified copy of a document.
  2. One that exemplifies; an example.
  3. A showing by example
annotation
Comments that analyze, explain, or criticize, or a collection of brief summaries of appellate cases that have applied or interpreted, a particular statutory provision. These comments and summaries are appended to, and published with, the statute in a set of volumes. For example, the United States Code Annotated contains the statutes of the United States and, after each statutory provision are the comments and summaries pertaining to that provision. Comments that analyze, explain, or criticize, or a collection of brief summaries of appellate cases that have applied or interpreted, a particular statutory provision. These comments and summaries are appended to, and published with, the statute in a set of volumes. For example, the United States Code Annotated contains the statutes of the United States and, after each statutory provision are the comments and summaries pertaining to that provision.
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  1. Comments that analyze, explain, or criticize, or a collection of brief summaries of appellate cases that have applied or interpreted, a particular statutory provision. These comments and summaries are appended to, and published with, the statute in a set of volumes. For example, the United States Code Annotated contains the statutes of the United States and, after each statutory provision are the comments and summaries pertaining to that provision. Comments that analyze, explain, or criticize, or a collection of brief summaries of appellate cases that have applied or interpreted, a particular statutory provision. These comments and summaries are appended to, and published with, the statute in a set of volumes. For example, the United States Code Annotated contains the statutes of the United States and, after each statutory provision are the comments and summaries pertaining to that provision.
  2. A critical or explanatory note or notes
  3. The act or process of furnishing critical commentary or explanatory notes.
gloss
An extensive commentary, often accompanying a text or publication.
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  1. An extensive commentary, often accompanying a text or publication.
  2. A note of comment or explanation accompanying a text, as in a footnote or margin
  3. A brief explanatory note or translation of a difficult or technical expression usually inserted in the margin or between lines of a text or manuscript.
cue
(Music) A gesture or written device used to signal the entry of one or more instrumentalists or vocalists
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  1. (Music) A gesture or written device used to signal the entry of one or more instrumentalists or vocalists
  2. (Psychol.) A secondary stimulus that guides behavior, often without entering consciousness
  3. A signal, such as a word or action, used to prompt another event in a performance, such as an actor's speech or entrance, a change in lighting, or a sound effect.
key
Something that completes or holds together the parts of another thing, as the keystone of an arch or a roughened surface forming a secure base for plaster
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  1. Something that completes or holds together the parts of another thing, as the keystone of an arch or a roughened surface forming a secure base for plaster
  2. Any of a set of levers, or the disks, buttons, etc. connected to them, pressed down in operating a piano, accordion, clarinet, typewriter, linotype, word processor, etc.
  3. A characteristic tone or level of intensity, as of a speech or sales campaign. Often used in combination:
translation
(Physics) Motion of a body in which every point of the body moves parallel to and the same distance as every other point of the body.
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  1. (Physics) Motion of a body in which every point of the body moves parallel to and the same distance as every other point of the body.
  2. A translated version of a text.
  3. The result of a translating; esp., writing or speech translated into another language
comment
A statement of fact or opinion, especially a remark that expresses a personal reaction or attitude.
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  1. A statement of fact or opinion, especially a remark that expresses a personal reaction or attitude.
  2. A scholarly article or essay, usually written by a law student and published in a law review, analyzing a judicial decision and its context in the law. See also annotation and note.
  3. A written note intended as an explanation, illustration, or criticism of a passage in a book or other writing; an annotation.
paraphrase
A rewording of something spoken or written, usually for the purpose of making its meaning clearer
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  1. A rewording of something spoken or written, usually for the purpose of making its meaning clearer
  2. An approximate rendering of a quotation, saying, etc. whose exact words cannot be cited or recalled
  3. A restatement of a text or passage in another form or other words, often to clarify meaning.
clarification
The act of freeing from obscurities.
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  1. The act of freeing from obscurities.
  2. The act of clarifying; the act or process of making clear or transparent by freeing visible impurities; particularly, the clearing or fining of liquid substances from feculent matter by the separation of the insoluble particles which prevent the liquid from being transparent.
rendition
(Law, chiefly US) The handing-over someone wanted for justice who has fled a given jurisdiction; extradition. [from 19th c.]
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  1. (Law, chiefly US) The handing-over someone wanted for justice who has fled a given jurisdiction; extradition. [from 19th c.]
  2. The transfer of a prisoner or suspect from one country to another, often to avoid legal restrictions on interrogation or prosecution.
  3. Translation between languages, or between forms of a language; a translated text or work. [from 17th c.]
rationale
The fundamental reasons for something; the basis:
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  1. The fundamental reasons for something; the basis:
  2. A statement, exposition, or explanation of reasons or principles
commentary
An expository treatise or series of annotations; an exegesis:
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  1. An expository treatise or series of annotations; an exegesis:
  2. A historical narrative based on personal experience
  3. A series of explanatory notes or annotations, often forming a treatise on a text
representation
A representing or being represented (in various senses); specif., the fact of representing or being represented in a legislative assembly
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  1. A representing or being represented (in various senses); specif., the fact of representing or being represented in a legislative assembly
  2. An account or statement, as of facts, allegations, or arguments.
  3. (Law) A statement of fact made by one party in order to induce another party to enter into a contract.
characterization
The delineation of character or creation of characters in a play, story, etc.
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  1. The delineation of character or creation of characters in a play, story, etc.
  2. A description of qualities or peculiarities:
  3. Representation of a character or characters on the stage or in writing, especially by imitating or describing actions, gestures, or speeches.
recursive-definition
(Semantics) A definition of a term within which the term itself appears, and that is well-founded, avoiding an infinite regress.
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  1. (Semantics) A definition of a term within which the term itself appears, and that is well-founded, avoiding an infinite regress.
expounding
The act by which something is expounded.
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  1. The act by which something is expounded.
delineation
The act of delineating; depiction
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  1. The act of delineating; depiction
  2. A graphic verbal description
  3. (Art) An image of the outline of an object
determination
(Archaic) A fixed movement or tendency toward an object or end.
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  1. (Archaic) A fixed movement or tendency toward an object or end.
  2. Firmness of purpose; resolve:
  3. A determining or being determined (in all senses of the verb)
demarcation
The act of setting and marking limits or boundaries
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  1. The act of setting and marking limits or boundaries
  2. A separation or distinction
  3. A limit or boundary
distinctness
The property or degree of being distinct.
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  1. The property or degree of being distinct.
sharpness
An inland port in Gloucestershire
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  1. An inland port in Gloucestershire
  2. (Countable) The product or result of being sharp.
  3. (Uncountable) the cutting ability of an edge; keenness
clarity
The quality or condition of being clear; clearness
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  1. The quality or condition of being clear; clearness
  2. Clearness of thought or style; lucidity:
  3. Clearness of appearance:
encompassment
The act of surrounding, or the state of being surrounded.
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  1. The act of surrounding, or the state of being surrounded.
circumscription
A circumscribed space or area
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  1. A circumscribed space or area
  2. A surrounding substance
  3. A boundary or outline
outline
A summary of a text or subject, usually presented in headings and subheadings.
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  1. A summary of a text or subject, usually presented in headings and subheadings.
  2. The outer shape of an object or figure.
  3. A line marking the boundary of an object figure.
boundary
Something that indicates a border or limit.
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  1. Something that indicates a border or limit.
  2. Any line or thing marking a limit; bound; border
  3. The border or limit so indicated.
surveying
The science or work of making land surveys
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  1. The science or work of making land surveys
  2. (Sciences) Art and science of accurately determining the position of points and the distances between them.
  3. The measurement of dimensional relationships, as of horizontal distances, elevations, directions, and angles, on the earth's surface especially for use in locating property boundaries, construction layout, and mapmaking.
Find another word for definition. In this page you can discover 59 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for definition, like: meaning, signification, explanation, description, denotation, diagnosis, analogue, synonym, exposition, elucidation and rendering.

Sentence Examples

  • Isn't that a classic definition of good politician?

  • Sleep came without definition, as did the dream.

  • No adequate definition is to be found even in the British statute-book; for although g parliament has on different occasions passed acts dealing with such railways both in Great Britain and Ireland, it has not inserted in any of them a clear and sufficient statement of what it intends shall be understood by the term, as distinguished from an ordinary railway.

  • The definition once proclaimed, controversies rapidly ceased; the bishops who wer: among the minority one after the other formulated their loyal adhesion to the Catholic dogma.

  • In the domain of jurisprudence, which consists of discussions of how a state and power might be arranged were it possible for all that to be arranged, it is all very clear; but when applied to history that definition of power needs explanation.

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