Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for

definitive

[ dih-fin-i-tiv ]

adjective

  1. most reliable or complete, as of a text, author, criticism, study, or the like:

    the definitive biography of Andrew Jackson.

  2. serving to define, fix, or specify definitely:

    to clarify with a definitive statement.

  3. having its fixed and final form; providing a solution or final answer; satisfying all criteria:

    the definitive treatment for an infection; a definitive answer to a dilemma.

    Synonyms: , , ,

  4. Biology. providing the environment in which a fully developed parasite is able to reproduce, as is provided by a definitive host.


noun

  1. a defining or limiting word, as an article, a demonstrative, or the like.
  2. Philately. a stamp that is a regular issue and is usually on sale for an extended period of time. Compare commemorative ( def 2 ).

definitive

/ ɪˈɪɪɪ /

adjective

  1. serving to decide or settle finally; conclusive
  2. most reliable, complete, or authoritative

    the definitive reading of a text

  3. serving to define or outline
  4. zoology fully developed; complete

    the definitive form of a parasite

    1. (of postage stamps) permanently on sale
    2. as noun a definitive postage stamp
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. grammar a word indicating specificity of reference, such as the definite article or a demonstrative adjective or pronoun
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈھԾپԱ, noun
  • ˈھԾپ, adverb
Discover More

Other Word Forms

  • ·ھ··پ· adverb
  • ·ھ··پ·Ա noun
  • ԴDz··ھ··پ adjective
  • non··ھ··پ·Ա noun
  • ܲ··ھ··پ adjective
  • un··ھ··پ·Ա noun
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of definitive1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin ŧīīīܲ, equivalent to ŧīī(ܲ) ( definite ) + -īܲ adjective suffix ( -ive )
Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Despite this, right-wing media is treating this case like it's definitive evidence that a white person can't get justice in "woke" America.

From

He added: "There is no single concentration where you can definitively say death will occur."

From

"These have not been seen before and it shows definitively that the UK had ice shelves, because that's the only way to produce these gigantic tabular icebergs."

From

We didn’t analyze whether these metrics explain attention to species among citizen science efforts, so I can’t make any definitive statements about that.

From

As to the first question, neither of them definitively ruled out another joint venture.

From

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


definitionsdefinitive host