definite

English

Etymology

From Latin dēfīnītus, past participle of dēfīniō, whence also English define.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdɛfɪnɪt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈdɛfɪnɪt/, /ˈdɛfənɪt/, /ˈdɛfənət/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

definite (comparative more definite, superlative most definite)

1. Having distinct limits.

   definite dimensions; a definite measure; a definite period or interval

   • 1837, William Whewell, chapter 8, in History of the Inductive Sciences‎^[1], volume 3, book 14, London: John W. Parker, page 145:

     […] elements combine in definite proportions […]

2. Free from any doubt.

   Synonym: unquestionable

   definite knowledge

3. Determined; resolved; decided.
   • 1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene vi]:

     […] idiots in this case of favour would
     Be wisely definite

4. (linguistics) Designating an identified or immediately identifiable person or thing, or group of persons or things

   the definite article

Antonyms

• indefinite

Derived terms

• definite article
• definite clause
• definite integral
• definitely
• definite maybe
• definiteness
• definitize
• definitude
• nondefinite
• positive-definite
• quasidefinite
• semidefinite
• undefinite

 

Related terms

• define
• definitive
• indefinite

Translations

having distinct limits

• Belarusian: пэ́ўны (be) (péŭny)
• Bulgarian: определен (bg) (opredelen)
• Catalan: definit (ca)
• Finnish: rajattu (fi), määrätty (fi)
• French: défini (fr)
• Greek: σαφής (el) (safís), καθορισμένος (el) (kathorisménos)
• Hebrew: מוגדר (mugdár)
• Indonesian: definit (id)
• Japanese: 明確 (ja) (meikaku)
• Polish: określony (pl)
• Romanian: definit (ro)
• Russian: определённый (ru) (opredeljónnyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: cinnteach, deimhinn
• Spanish: definido (es)
• Swedish: bestämd (sv)
• Ukrainian: ви́значений (význačenyj), пе́вний (uk) (pévnyj)

free from any doubt

• Bulgarian: сигурен (bg) (siguren)
• Dutch: eenduidig (nl)
• Finnish: varma (fi)
• German: eindeutig (de)
• Greek: ξεκάθαρος (el) (xekátharos)
• Hebrew: בטוח (he) (batúakh)
• Indonesian: definit (id)
• Luxembourgish: bestëmmt
• Polish: jasny (pl), sprecyzowany
• Romanian: sigur (ro), neîndoielnic (ro)
• Russian: определённый (ru) (opredeljónnyj), я́сный (ru) (jásnyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: cinnteach, deimhinn
• Spanish: indudable (es)
• Swedish: bestämd (sv)
• Ukrainian: ви́значений (význačenyj)
• Welsh: pendant (cy)

(linguistics) designating an identified or immediately identifiable person or thing

• Arabic: مَعْرِفَة (ar) f (maʕrifa)
• Catalan: definit (ca)
• Danish: please add this translation if you can
• Esperanto: difinita
• Finnish: määräinen (fi)
• German: bestimmt (de); determiniert (de)
• Greek: οριστικός (el) (oristikós)
• Hebrew: מיודע (meyudá)
• Hungarian: határozott (hu)
• Icelandic: ^{(please verify)} ákveðinn (is)
• Luxembourgish: bestëmmt
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: bestemt

• Persian: شناسا (fa) (šenâsâ), شناس (fa) (šenâs)
• Polish: określony (pl)
• Romanian: hotărât (ro)
• Russian: определённый (ru) (opredeljónnyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: cinnteach
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: одређен

  Roman: određen (sh)

• Spanish: definido (es)
• Swedish: bestämd (sv)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Esperanto: ^{(please verify)} difinita
• German: ^{(please verify)} definitiv (de) (2)
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} definito (it)
• Telugu: ^{(please verify)} ఖాయం (te) (khāyaṁ), ^{(please verify)} ఖచ్చితం (khaccitaṁ)
• Welsh: ^{(please verify)} pendant (cy)

Noun

definite (plural definites)

1. (grammar) A word or phrase that designates a specified or identified person or entity.
2. (obsolete) Anything that is defined or determined.

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /de.fiˈni.te/
• Rhymes: -ite
• Hyphenation: de‧fi‧nì‧te

Verb

definite

1. inflection of definire:
   1. second-person plural present indicative
   2. second-person plural imperative

Adjective

definite

1. feminine plural of definito

Latin

Verb

dēfīnīte

1. second-person plural present active imperative of dēfīniō

Adverb

dēfīnītē (comparative dēfīnītius, superlative dēfīnītissimē)

1. precisely, distinctly, clearly, explicitly

References

• “definite”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers

Spanish

Verb

definite

1. second-person singular voseo imperative of definir combined with te