Definition

 

When writers talk about definition as a concept, they often mean far more than the simple meaning of a word provided in a dictionary.  Definition means offering an explanation of a given idea, with examples and other necessary information.   Developing a definition often includes outlining the groups or categories to which the term belongs, the key features and characteristics of the term, and contrasting it from things from which it is different.  

 

Why Define? 

 

Defining terms is a crucial part of many types of writing.  When writers define the terms with which they are working, the clarity of their work is improved, and their audiences gain a more sophisticated understanding of what the writer is discussing. 

 

In many contexts, the specific meanings of a key word are often important—and it is the writer’s job to call his or her audience’s attention to these meanings.  The term “engagement,” for example, means one thing to a soldier (a “battle”) and another to someone considering marriage.  Likewise, definitions of terms in the legal profession (“brief,” “claim,” “plead,” “assault”), are specialized and might be unfamiliar to audiences outside that profession. 

 

When should a term be defined?

 

Like many decisions in a piece of writing, choosing when to define terms is determined primarily by the audience the writer is trying to reach.   Is the target audience one that would be familiar with the terms being used in the discussion?  Is the writing’s purpose to inform an audience of something they might not otherwise know?  How specialized is the writing?  Is it directed to a specific group of people with specific knowledge and experience?  

 

 

 

Exercise: Defining Key Terms

 

As practice, consider some terms that would need to be defined in the following writing situations:

 

1. An instruction manual covering the proper operation of a Sony Blu-Ray player, written for new owners of the player.

 

Terms that need to be defined for this audience:

 

 

2. A news article in the Baltimore Sun describing the accusations of financial crimes against the CEO of WorldBank.

 

Terms that need to be defined for this audience:

 

 

3. An English 101 essay (written for a general audience) discussing the causes of low retention and graduation rates at U.S. urban universities.  

 

Terms that need to be defined for this audience:

 

 

 

 

 

Categories and Defining Features

 

A convenient way to begin defining a selected term or idea is to decide a.) to what general category of things the term belongs and b.) what the specific defining features of that term are.   Defining the term “crime,” for example, might involve establishing that crimes belong to the category of “actions” and that its defining feature is that the action is prohibited by law.  Without the “defining feature” of “prohibited by law,” the action would not be considered a crime.  As you consider “defining features,” remember that these are requirements to be considered part of the term—a ball isn’t a “football,” for example, without being oblong and flying best in a spiral.  In the space below, consider the basic categories and defining features of the following terms:

 

 

Smartphone

 

Category:

 

 

 

Defining Features

 

 

 

Theft

 

Category:

 

 

 

Defining Features

 

 

 

Family

 

Category:

 

 

 

Defining Features

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sport

 

Category:

 

 

 

Defining Features

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies for Defining

 

Below are some essential strategies for approaching or developing a definition.  Consider these as starting points for your thinking, and build further on them. 

 

 

Categorization or Classification

 

An easy way to develop a definition is to focus on establishing the group, category, or class that an item, concept, or term belongs to.  One can then, using the features of this class, discuss the particular idea being defined more specifically as it relates to this class or category.

 

Examples: 

 

Semtex is a powerful form of explosive, usually used in large-scale mining and demolitions applications.  Coming in malleable, clay-like blocks, this substance is particularly well-suited to shaping and directed-charge tasks. 

 

“Gangsta Rap” is a type of hip-hop music, developed in the mid- to late- 1980s in both New York and Los Angeles by artists such as Ice-T, Schoolly D, and N.W.A..  Like most hip-hop, “gangsta rap” prominently features drum-beats and other studio production effects, as well as the standard hip-hop focus on rhyming and lyricism.   What sets “gangsta” apart, however, is usually its subject matter—crime, gangs, violence, and “life on the streets” in urban America.  

 

 

 

Equivalent Terms / Synonyms

 

Often, it is convenient to define terms by simply finding equivalent terms for them—or words that are synonymous with them. 

 

Examples:

 

Plagiarism is a term that teachers and other academics use for “cheating” or “stealing someone else’s ideas.” 

 

“Larceny” is the legal term for stealing. 

 

 

 

Negation or Contrast

 

A concise definition of a term is often easy to develop by beginning with what it is not.  Many writers find this strategy best employed along with another—some writers begin a definition with negation and move on to comparison, description, or other forms of definition. 

 

Examples: 

 

Totalitarianism is neither an economic system, like communism or capitalism, or a system of government, like democracy or dictatorship.  It is, rather, a philosophy, determining how a nation relates to its citizens.  

 

Driving is not a right, but a privilege earned through responsible actions.

 

Parenthood is not a fun-filled party: it is a serious, full-time job that requires constant diligence and dedication. 

 

 

Definition through Description

 

One of the most direct ways to define a term—particularly an object or event, or something relatively concrete—is to describe it by using detailed, vivid terms. 

 

Examples:

 

Lobster bisque is a seafood soup that has a creamy texture, a thick consistency, and loads of fresh cooked lobster meat.  The best bisques are slightly spicy, due to a bit of cayenne pepper added while cooking, and also rich, owing to the heavy cream and whole condensed milk used in the preparation of the broth.  Some people add cooked chopped potatoes to the mixture for added filler. 

 

The Alpha Rev X is an MP3 player that competes with Apple’s iPod line.  The Rev X comes in 120, 180, and 240 GB sizes, and uses a touch-sensitive wheel for navigation and activation.  Made of a lightweight aluminum case and a high-density glass face, the Rev X feels substantial in a user’s hand—a plus for some customers, who like a more durable player, but a problem for others who enjoy the lighter iPod.  The Rev X offers wireless syncing to computers, peer-to-peer song and playlist sharing, and video-out support.  

 

Mardi Gras is a Carnival Festival held in the New Orleans French Quarter every year, just before the beginning of the period of Lent.  During Mardi Gras, visitors and New Orleanians hold parades, balls, and other parties, often lasting long into the night.  Mardi Gras is often associated with much public consumption of alcohol—particularly the famous “Hurricane” drink—and general rowdiness, particularly on Bourbon Street.  At times, establishments on Bourbon Street are so packed that party-goers have difficulty moving from one side of the street to another, or even finding an unoccupied restroom. 

 

Operation / Specific Usage

 

In many cases, a writer needs to define for her readers a specific usage of a word, rather than the “general” or commonly understood definition of it. 

 

Examples:

 

According to the DSM-IV, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychological Association, “delusion” is defined by “feelings of being followed, poisoned, infected, deceived or conspired against, or loved at a distance.” 

 

For the purposes of this discussion, “theft” will mean the removal of a person’s property from his or her possession without his or her explicit consent.  According to this definition, it is clear that John committed theft when he took Paul’s 1975 El Camino on a joyride.  

 

“Unreliable” means something different to a literary critic than to someone else.  Critics and students of literature consider “unreliability” as a possible feature of a narrator’s truthfulness, rather than an assessment of how well the character works or how predictable he is.  

 

Most car insurance policies indicate that the “primary driver” of the vehicle is anyone who drives it more than 50 miles per week. 

 

 

Analogy or Comparison

 

It is often profitable to define something by discussing similar ideas or concepts, which may be more familiar to your audience.  

 

Examples:

 

Oxycontin is a narcotic painkiller very similar in its effects and function to older drugs like Demerol or Vicodin. 

 

Spring rolls are like egg rolls in that they are filled with cabbage, vegetables, sprouts, spices, and often chicken or shrimp, but are different in that they are not fried.

 

Vietnamese is a language very similar to Chinese and Japanese in the formation of many of its phonemes.  Where Vietnamese differs, however, is in its heavy reliance on subtle tonal shifts in the speaker’s presentation—a single mispronounced syllable can often change the meaning of whole words.

 

A rugby scrum is not that unlike the collision between the offensive and defensive lines in American football or the pileup that results from a fumble.  A scrum often involves many people struggling for possession of the rugby ball.