# definite

Pronunciation: say "DEF-i-nit" /ˈdɛfɪnɪt/

## Adjective

1. Free from any doubt; certain and beyond question.
   - Simple: Sure and clear, with no doubt at all.
   - _There is now definite proof that the medicine works._
   - _He refused to commit until he had a definite reason to act._
2. Firmly decided, resolved, or settled in purpose.
   - Simple: Decided about something and not going to change your mind.
   - _The committee was definite in rejecting the proposal._
   - _He gave a definite refusal and ended the conversation._
3. Having clear and distinct limits or boundaries.
   - Simple: Having clear edges or limits you can see.
   - _The new policy set a definite limit on overtime hours._
   - _The painting has a definite shape at its center._
4. Marking a noun as referring to a specific, identifiable person or thing.
   - Simple: Pointing to one particular, known person or thing, not just any.
   - _In English, the article 'the' makes a noun phrase definite._
   - _A definite reference tells the listener exactly which item is meant._

## Noun

5. A word or phrase that points to a specified or identified person or thing.
   - Simple: A word or phrase that names one certain, known thing.
   - _Grammarians classify 'the president' as a definite, since it names a specific person._
   - _Each definite in the sentence refers to someone the reader can already identify._

## Noun

6. Something that has been defined or determined. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Something that has been clearly fixed or decided.
   - _In his treatise, each definite was laid out with precise boundaries._
   - _The scholar arranged the known definites before turning to vaguer matters._

## Origin

From Latin dēfīnītus, the past participle of dēfīniō, which is also the source of English 'define'.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/definite (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).