Definition of DEFINE

nội dung

Etymology

Middle English diffinen, defynen, borrowed from Anglo-French definer, diffiner, borrowed (with conjugation change) from Medieval Latin dēfīnīre, diffīnīre (dif- by association with dif-, assimilated form of dis- dis-), going back to Latin dēfīnīre "to mark the limits of, determine, give an exact description of," from dē- de- + fīnīre "to mark out the boundaries of, limit" — more at finish entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of define was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Page 2

liên kết
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/define
Tóm tắt
The term 'define' has its origins in Middle English, derived from the Anglo-French 'definer' and 'diffiner.' These were borrowed from Medieval Latin 'dēfīnīre' and 'diffīnīre,' which themselves trace back to the Latin 'dēfīnīre,' meaning 'to mark the limits of, determine, or give an exact description of.' The Latin roots consist of 'dē-' (meaning 'from' or 'of') and 'fīnīre' (meaning 'to mark out the boundaries of' or 'limit'). The first known use of the word 'define' dates back to the 14th century, specifically in the context of establishing a clear meaning or description of something.