def·i·nite
(dĕf́ə-nĭt)
[Middle English diffinite, defined, from Latin dēfīnītus past participle of dēfīnīre, to define; see define.]
adjective
- Having distinct limits: definite restrictions on the sale of alcohol.
- Indisputable; certain: a definite victory.
- Clearly defined; explicitly precise: a definite statement of the terms of the will. See synonyms at explicit
- Grammar Limiting or particularizing.
- Botany
- Of a specified number not exceeding 20, as certain floral organs, especially stamens.
- Cymose; determinate.
derivatives
- def́i·nite·ly
- adverb
- def́i·nite·ness
- noun
usage note
Usage Note: Definite and definitive both apply to what is precisely defined or explicitly set forth. But definitive most often refers specifically to a judgment or description that serves as a standard or reference point for others, as in the definitive decision of the court (which sets forth a final resolution of a judicial matter) or the definitive biography of Nelson (that is, the biography that sets the standard against which all other accounts of Nelson's life must be measured).
