definite

Contents

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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

• 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, History of the Inductive Sciences, London: John W. Parker, Volume 3, Book 14, Chapter 8, p. 145,^[1]

     […] elements combine in definite proportions […]

2. Free from any doubt.

   definite knowledge

3. Determined; resolved.
   • c. 1609, William Shakespeare, Cymbeline, Act I, Scene 6,^[2]

     […] 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

Related terms

• definitely
• definitive
• unquestionable
• decided
• definite article

Translations

having distinct limits

• Belarusian: пэ́ўны (péŭny)
• Catalan: definit (ca) m
• Finnish: rajattu (fi), määrätty (fi)
• French: défini (fr)
• Greek: σαφής (el) m or f (safís), καθορισμένος (el) m (kathorisménos)

• Japanese: 明確 (ja) (meikaku)
• Russian: определённый (ru) (opredeljónnyj)
• Spanish: definido (es)
• Swedish: bestämd (sv)
• Ukrainian: ви́значений (význačenyj), пе́вний (uk) (pévnyj)

free from any doubt

• Dutch: eenduidig (nl)
• Finnish: varma (fi)
• German: eindeutig (de)
• Greek: ξεκάθαρος (el) m (xekátharos)
• Polish: jasny (pl) m, sprecyzowany m

• Russian: определённый (ru) (opredeljónnyj), я́сный (ru) (jásnyj)
• Spanish: indudable
• Swedish: bestämd (sv)
• Ukrainian: ви́значений (význačenyj)

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

• Arabic: مَعْرِفَة‎ (ar) f (maʿrifa)
• Catalan: definit (ca)
• Finnish: määräinen (fi), määrätty (fi)
• German: bestimmt (de); determiniert (de)
• Greek: οριστικός (el) m (oristikós)

• Hungarian: határozott (hu)
• Russian: определённый (ru) (opredeljónnyj)
• Spanish: definido (es) m
• Swedish: bestämd (sv)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Bulgarian: ^{(please verify)} определен (bg) (opredelen), ^{(please verify)} сигурен (bg) (siguren)
• Esperanto: ^{(please verify)} difinita
• German: definitiv (2)
• Hebrew: מוגדר (mugdar) (1)
• Icelandic: ^{(please verify)} ákveðinn (is) m, ^{(please verify)} ákv. m

• Italian: ^{(please verify)} definito (it)
• Scottish Gaelic: ^{(please verify)} cinnteach, ^{(please verify)} deimhinn
• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} definido (es)
• Telugu: ఖాయం (khaayaM), ఖచ్చితం (khacchitaM)
• 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.

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Italian

Verb

definite

1. Second-person plural indicative present form of definire.
2. Second-person plural imperative present form of definire.

Adjective

definite

1. Feminine plural of definito.

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Latin

Verb

dēfīnīte

1. second-person plural present active imperative of dēfīniō

References

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