DEFINITION

The Meaning of Definition

Definition is
 the giving of meaning or signification of a word, term, phrase or symbol.
 It is the giving of a meaning to a particular expression.
 So it is a statement of meaning.
We consider definition vital in the study of logic but also in discourses and everyday communication. Logic
studies arguments. But arguments are made up of statements or propositions, which are in turn, made up of
words. Words have meanings and these meanings are conveyed through definitions.
A term is a word or arrangement of words that may serve as a subject or predicate of a proposition. Terms
could be proper names like 'Peter', common names like 'animal' or descriptive phrases like 'those who study
logic'.
Words are symbols, and the entities or realities they symbolize are usually called meanings. Since terms are
made of words, they are also symbols, which have two kinds of meanings; extensional and intensional
meanings.
Definition of terms is significant for various reasons. Understanding the meaning of terms is necessary in
evaluating the truth-value of the propositions or statements as well as the correctness or incorrectness or
arguments in which they appear. Without understanding the meaning of terms in an argument, we cannot
adequately evaluate the goodness or the badness of an argument.

General functions of definitions

1) Through definitions, one learns the meaning of terms hitherto unknown to one. In this sense, definition
serves as an important means of acquiring knowledge.
2) Definitions are also vital in society due to their social, economic and political implications. For example,
how certain terms, acts, behaviour are defined affect people's conduct and interaction in society i.e. who is
an African or none African? How we define these terms will definitely influence how we behave in
situations involving the realities such terms represent.
3) Furthermore, definitions give guidelines or the interpretations of words we use in discourse and
communications which help in avoiding or reducing possible conflicts that may arise due to each person
sticking to his or her idea of what a word may mean to him or her.
4) Definitions are also important in eliminating vagueness and ambiguity. A term is vague when its meaning is
slurred such that one cannot tell with any degree of precision what it means in a given situation.
Vagueness: Vagueness refers to a situation when the meaning of a term has borderline cases such that it
cannot be determined to which meaning it applies. Think of terms like love, rich, tall, wise, foolish and others.
Take for example, baldness. When is one bald? How much loss of hair on the head constitutes baldness?
Aren't there people with various degrees of hair loss, but who are simply described as bald?
Ambiguity: Ambiguity refers to a situation where a term has more than one possible clear meaning, but
is used in a context in which it is not clear which meaning is intended. So a term is ambiguous when it is used in
such a way that it is open to more than one possible interpretation. As we will see later, context in which terms
are used helps in precising meaning of such terms. A casual look at the following terms reveals that they are
open to ambiguous use, bank, race, man, right, light and many more. Take for example the term 'right' may
mean 'a moral obligation' as in the case 'it is right to help the needy'. But right can also mean 'entitlement' as is
in the case 'every child has a right to education'.

Coming back to the definition, we have said that a definition is a statement expressing the meaning or
signification of a term. This meaning must indicate the essential attributes of what is being defined. But not
every signification must express these essential attributes. Some kinds of definition do not express the essential
1
attributes of the words being defined. Therefore, the concepts of meaning and signification point to various
kinds of definition. However, generally a definition indicates the conditions for the appropriate use of the
expression or term being defined. It is only by doing this can a definition be able to eliminate vagueness or
ambiguity.
In a definition, a word to be defined is technically called definiendum and the defining word or phrase is
called definiens. These are Latin words but which have been anglicized and have gained currency in English
language.
Let us look at the following definitions of logic:
Logic = the branch of philosophy that studies arguments.
This literally means 'Logic means the branch of philosophy that studies arguments', or 'Logic is defined as
the branch of philosophy that studies arguments'. In this definition, "logic" is the definiendum and 'the branch
of philosophy that studies arguments' is the definiens.

Nature of Definitions
Definitions can be categorized into two main types, denotative and connotative definitions. Denotative
definition is called extensional definition, while connotative definition is synonymous to intensional
definition.
a). Denotative definition
Denotative definition of a word or term expresses the extensional meaning of the definiendum — the word
being defined. The extensional meaning consists of the members of the class that the definiendum denotes. To
denote is used here, simply to point at, or to 'name'. Therefore, the denotation of a word refers to the things to
which the word refers or point without invoking feelings or ideas connected with the word.
A general term or a class term denotes several things to which it may correctly apply. The class or
collections of the things a word or term denotes constitutes the extension or denotation of the term.
Denotative definition therefore is the indication to the term's (definiendum's) extension by citing all or
some of the things which the definiendum can properly refer. For example, one can give a denotative definition
of planet as:
Planet — Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
Planet then constitutes all the mentioned objects. Hence, they constitute the extensional or denotative
meaning of the term planet. Denotative definition involves the definiens specifying the denotative or extension
of the definiendum. For example, "Carnivore" denotes definiens as dogs, cats, tigers, wolves, foxes, hyenas,
owls, dolphins and vultures. This definition does not necessarily require the physical presence of the definiens,
but mere naming may be sufficient.
This kind of definition is adequate if the definiens lists all the things to which the definiendum properly
refers. However, in some cases it is very difficult for the definiens to be exhaustive. Moreover, there are also
some words for which it is practically impossible to provide any denotative definition: Examples of such
words include being, understand, infinity, time and infer.
Denotative definition can be either enumerative or ostensive definition:
i). Enumerative definition
This definition indicates the class or lists things to which the definiendum properly refers. In this definition,
the definiens lists words or presents actual examples of things, properties, relations, concepts etc. to which the
definiendum may correctly be applied.

For example:
Relative = father, mother, son, daughter, uncle, aunt, grandparent, and grandchild.
Each of the definiens properly represents the meaning of a relative. However, it would be very hard to
exhaust lists of all things to which the term relative properly apply. However, for an enumerative definition to be
adequate, it would require that the definiens enumerate most, if not all, of the things to which the definiendum
properly refers. But this would require the definiendum to have a small denotation. This implies that it is very
difficult to formulate an adequate enumerative definition for terms whose denotations or extensions are large
2
or impossible to exhaust. For example, we may have to think of an adequate enumerative definition of 'man'
which appears rather impossible.
ii). Ostensive definition
This definition involves giving concrete examples or appropriate sensory experiences to which the
definiendum properly refers. This sensory experiences can be visual or non visual. For example, the meaning
of 'mouth' or what it is can be given simply by pointing at a 'mouth'. The meaning of hard' or 'sweet can be given
simply by being made to touch a ‘hard’ thing or to taste a 'sweet' thing. So this definition is simply pointing out
at one or more of the things to which the definiendum properly applies.
Ostensive definition is easy to formulate particularly in the absence of a pre-existing adequate language.
However, it is very prone to misinterpretation. For example, when one gives the meaning of head by pointing
at the 'temple', then one can easily mistake the temple for the head. Or when one gives the meaning of a 'door'
by showing what the door is but holding the handle, one may mistake a handle for a door.
b). Connotative Definition
Connotative definition is the statement of the intension of the definiendum or the essential qualities that
must be present before the definiendum can be properly applied.
The meaning of a word can be known without necessarily knowing the extension of the word. The term
connotation refers only to the essential characteristics or set of attributes of the things marked or referred to by
the definiendum. It is the totality of the attributes shared by all, and only those things within a terms extension;
in other words, the sum total of definiendum's essential properties is the intension or connotation.
Therefore in a connotative definition, the definiens pinpoints the meaning of the definiendum by listing the
set of properties common to all, and only the things to which the definiendum can be correctly applied. For
examples:
1. Triangle = a three-sided polygon
2. Triangle = defined as a three sided rectilinear polygon.
The definition (1) above includes in the meaning of a triangle the three-sided polygons even with curved sides
but which are not triangles. However, the definition (2) excludes from the meaning of a triangle any three-sided
polygon with curved sided. Therefore the second definition of a triangle is better than the first one.
In a good connotative definition, the definiens narrows down the possible meanings of the definiendum until,
ideally, the sum total of the properties given applies not only entirely, but only exclusively to the particular
definiendum. For example:
Hospital = an institution staffed and equipped to provide the sick or injured with diagnosis, surgical or medical treatment,
temporary accommodation and custodial care.
In this definition, the definiens excludes the possibilities of the term hospital being a living thing, natural
occurrence, manufactured article, an educational, political, financial or punitive institution. It also eliminates
the possibilities of a hospital being a doctor's office, home for the terminally or chronically infirm/ill, a
boarding house, dormitory, a hotel etc.
Therefore an adequate connotative definition must provide those attributes which, when included in the
definiens, are most informative, most characteristic of the definiendum, and least prone to misinterpretation.

An increase in the connotation (adding more attributes) of a definiendum either decreases or leaves
unchanged the denotation of the definiendum, but cannot increase its denotation. Conversely, a decrease in the
connotation (reducing the attributes) either increases or leaves unchanged the denotation of the definiendum,
but cannot decrease it. For example; think of the extension of the word 'man' which consists of all the things
that can be properly referred to as man who ever lived, currently living, and are likely to live. But if the intension
of the word 'man' is increased by adding 'living' so that it refers to 'living man', then obviously its extension is
smaller than that of 'man'. If intension is further increased to 'living man over 30 years', then the extension is
further reduced. And the reverse would be the case if the connotation were to be decreased.
As I have pointed out earlier, there are some words for which it is only possible or easier to give their
connotative definitions but almost impossible, if not impossible, to give their denotative definitions, for
example, dragon, werewolf, vampire and unicorn. Despite the dispute over the nature of their existence, they can
still be defined connotatively — people have in mind what they mean. For example:
3
Unicorn = a horse-like creature with a single, pointed conical horn in the middle of its forehead.
This definition does not, of course, imply that any such a creature ever existed. One can even add the
adjective 'mythical' to the definiens to rule out completely the possibility of any objective existence of unicorns.
However the connotative definition remains valid.

Techniques for formulating connotative definitions

There are various ways of formulating a connotative definition, these are:

a) Definition by synonyms
This definition uses one-word synonyms. In this definition, the definiens consists of only one word which
can be appropriately used interchangeably with the definiendum. The definition in which the definiens is
synonymous with the definiendum is called synonymous definition. Here are some examples:
1. Freedom = liberty
2. Obese = fat
3. Intentionally = purposely
4. Conceal = hide
5. Lugubrious = doleful
Although synonymous definition is the shortest definition, it is not always the most precise and useful. It
is only precise when the definiens has the same intentional meaning as the definiendum. However, there are
some words for which it is difficult or not easy to get their synonyms —with the same intentional meaning. For
example, 'covetous' is not exactly synonymous with 'envious'. Therefore, it would not be an adequate
synonymous definition to give the meaning of 'covetous' as 'envious'. Covetous has as part of its meaning a
stronger desire or feelings than envious.
Another problem with this definition is that one has to know the meaning of the definiens; otherwise the
definition would be almost useless. For example, to define 'Lugubrious' as 'doleful' becomes useless if one
does not know the meaning of doleful.

b) Definition by genus and difference

This is one of the common and good ways of giving a definition. It consists in stating the general class of
things to which the definiendum belongs and then further specifying the properties by which the definiendum
can be differentiated from the other members of the same class.
Traditionally, the general category or class to which the definiendum belongs is known as the genus
while the properties by which the definiendum is differentiated from the other members of the genus is known
as differentia or difference. For example, man = a rational animal. Animal is the genus (the general class to which
man belongs) and rationality is the differentia (the attribute by which man is differentiated from other animals).
The following is another example is:
Gorilla = the largest of the anthropoid apes.
In this definition, 'anthropoid apes' is the genus to which belong chimpanzees, orang-utans, gibbons and
gorillas. But 'being the largest' is the differentia, which distinguishes gorillas from all the other apes.
Lastly, we can look at a definition of a bed.
Bed = a piece of furniture constructed to support the human body lying horizontally.
Again, 'furniture' is the genus and 'being' made to support the human body lying horizontally is the differentia.
The differentia makes it easy for one to distinguish between a bed and a chair, table and cupboard on the other
hand.
c) Operational definition
In this definition, the definiens provides a test or formal procedure that is followed to determine whether
or not the definiendum applies to a certain case. In other words the formal procedure is to determine the
applicability of the definiendum. For example:
Brain Activity = production of visible oscillations on an electroencephalograph which has been properly attached to the
head.

4
 This definition shows what procedure to follow to determine whether or not a brain activity takes place. Let us
look at more examples:

1. A cake is done = when a toothpick inserted in it comes out dry and clean.
2. X is harder than Y= When X and Y are rubbed together, X scratches Y.
3. A ripe Avocado = when the pit inside rattles when shaken.
Each of the above definition prescribes an operation to be carried out to determine whether the definiendum
is applicable. This technique of definition is useful when providing public or empirical criterion for the
application of a term.
d) Definition by contextuality
A context in which a word is used is vital in showing the intended meaning of the word by the user. Therefore, in
formulating a definition, the definiendum should be put in a context in which the intended meaning is clear. A
definition is adequate when it indicates the context for which the definition is appropriate. Contextual
definitions effectively avoid ambiguity and vagueness. This is important since most words have more than
one possible meaning. For example:
X is the grandparent of Y — there is Z such that X is the parent of Z, and Z is the parent of Y.
There is also a possibility that used in a different context; 'grandparent' would have a different connotation.
For example, one may talk of a nursery school being a grandparent of a secondary school to mean that a
secondary school developed from a primary school, which developed from the nursery school.

Kinds and purposes of definitions

a) Lexical definition
This definition is at times called reportive definition or real definition. This definition gives the meaning that
the definiendum ordinarily has among the people who use the language of which the definiendum belongs. It
gives the conventional meaning of the definiendum and therefore shows how the term is actually used in a
given society.
Lexical definitions therefore, serve the purpose of reporting the meaning of a term as it is usually used or
understood by most members of a specific group in society. Since lexical definitions report meanings, therefore,
they are sometimes called reportive definitions. Most dictionary definitions are lexical definitions. It should be
noted that the adjective 'lexical' is formed from the noun 'lexicon', which means dictionary. Lexical definitions
therefore, express the existing 'rule of language'.
A lexical definition can be enumerative, synonymous or operational. But regardless of which form it takes,
the lexical definition must report the generally accepted meaning of a term.
A lexical definition may be judged true or false depending on how accurately it reports the meaning of a word
as it is actually used by members of a specific group or community.
However, a lexical definition may be limited to reporting the meaning of a term only as it is used in a
technical or otherwise limited context. For example, if the meaning of a term is given as it is used within a
particular theory, then the lexical definition is called a theoretical definition. Understanding a theoretical
definition is partly the same as understanding an important aspect of the theory. Let us take as an example
Plato's definition of justice in the state:
Justice in the state = a situation when each of the three categories — guardians, soldiers and, farmers and craftsmen — in the
state does its own proper work without interference with or from the other.
Let us also look at the definition of light as may be given in physics. Light = a form of electromagnetic radiation.
Though theoretical definition is limited, it is still a lexical definition since it gives meaning as generally
understood by those who understand the theory or discipline into which the definiendum falls. But due to that
limitation, it is stipulative since it gives meanings as limited to individual(s) or the theory. Therefore a
theoretical definition is partly lexical and partly stipulative.
Strictly speaking, a theoretical definition is neither true nor false because at its inception it is stipulative.
However, later it may be judged as either true or false depending on whether it accurately gives the meaning of a
term or definiendum as used in a particular theory.
5
 A lexical definition becomes a legal definition if it gives meaning as used in law. This is the definition as
specified in the laws formulated by a legislative, judicial or executive body. For example:
Speeding = to drive a vehicle at a rate exceeding certain specified kilometres per hour.

b) Stipulative definition
A definition is stipulative when it gives meaning of a term as an individual or individuals intend to use it.
This definition is therefore,
more individual than social. Stipulative definition serves the purpose of introducing new meaning. This it does
by either coining a new word or assigning a new meaning to an old word. For example one may define
decidophobia, which is the reason why people would employ certain strategies to avoid making fateful
decisions as follows:
Decidophobia = fear of autonomy. I may also give a definition of tribality as follows: Tribality = the act of
belonging to a tribe.
Stipulative definitions often arise as a result of some new phenomena or developments. A Stipulative
definition is therefore neither true nor false because it is an arbitrary assignment of a meaning to a term for the
first time, that is, it prescribes a new "rule of language". However, after its introduction, a stipulative definition
can be absorbed into the general usage and thus becomes reportive definition. Some people refer to stipulative
definition as nominal definition or verbal definition.
d) Precising definition
A precising definition clarifies meaning in cases of either ambiguity or vagueness. Therefore the purpose of a
precising definition is to eliminate ambiguity or vagueness.
Ambiguity is a situation in which a term with more than one distinct meaning is used in such a way that it is
not obvious from the context which meaning is intended. But vagueness is a situation in which a term used is
sufficiently imprecise that it is impossible to tell whether or not it applies to certain borderline cases.
A precising definition differs from stipulative definition in the sense that it does not assign a new meaning to
a term but only makes clear or precise the already known term - makes clear the already known meaning of a
term. For example, when a term with ordinary meaning is used in certain contexts like in science, mathematics
or medicine, then the meaning of such a term would need some clarification by means of a precising
definition. Think of meanings of terms like force, energy, equality, and others when used in certain specific
contexts.
A precising definition cannot strictly be judged as true or false, but is judged good or bad depending on
whether it adequately eliminates ambiguity or vagueness without distorting the generally accepted meaning of
the term.
e) Persuasive definition
A persuasive definition assigns value-laden meaning to a term in such a way that it would look like the real
or correct meaning of the term in its general usage. The purpose of persuasive definitions is to influence the
attitudes of readers or listeners by arousing either a favourable or unfavourable attitude towards what is
denoted by the term or definiendum. For example, look at the following pairs of definitions.
1. Chiropractor = a person who claims to be able to treat illness through manipulation of a patient's spine although
not a licensed medical doctor.

Chiropractor = a highly trained and licensed manipulative practitioner, who treats illnesses for which conventional
medicine has been unable to help.
2. Abortion = a brutal murdering of an innocent and helpless human being.

Abortion = an established safe surgical procedure by which a pregnant woman is relieved of an unwanted burden.
In each pair of the above definitions, the first definition arouses a favourable attitude towards the
definiendum's denotation while the second definition arouses an unfavourable attitude towards the
definiendum's denotation.
It should be noted that a definition, be it enumerative, synonymous or operational can be used to persuade,
thus becomes a persuasive definition.
Therefore, given the above kinds of and uses of definitions — to report meaning, introduce new meaning,
6
remove ambiguity and vagueness and persuade, definitions are very vital for effective communication since they
increase vocabulary as well as serve both social and political purposes.

Criteria for formulating good definitions

A good definition is an adequate definition, which should not only give a correct meaning of the
definiendum, but also accurately, completely and clearly specify the conditions governing the use of the
definiendum.
The following are some principles that guide the formulation of good definitions.
1. An adequate definition should state the definiendum's connotation whenever it is a significant part of its
use, that is, it should convey the essential attributes of the definiendum. For example, the following
definition is inadequate.
Man = a featherless biped. However, the following is adequate.
Man = animal that has the capacity to reason and speak.
2. It should answer the question, "in what context is the definiens to apply?" by indicating the context to
which the definiens apply particularly where the definiendum has different meanings in different
contexts. However, where the scope is obvious, there is no need to specify it. For example:
Strike (baseball) = a pitch at which a batter swings and misses.
Strike (bowling) = the act of knocking down all the pins with first ball of a frame.
Strike (fishing) = a pull on a line made by a fish in taking the bait.
3. An adequate definition should neither be too broad (wide) nor narrow. The definiens should not
exclude some of the things to which the definiendum properly apply, nor include those to which it does
not properly apply. For example, in a connotative definition, the definiens should apply to all the things
denoted by the definiendum. For example:
If, 'triangle = plane rectilinear figure with three-sides of equal length', then the definition is
narrow since it excludes 'right—angled triangle' to which the definiendum, 'triangle', properly applies.
And if, 'triangle = plane figure with three-sides', then it is wide since it includes three-sided
figures with curved lines to which 'triangle' does not properly apply.
4. An adequate definition should not be circular. When a definiendum or its derivative (grammatical
variation) is used in the definiens then the definition is circular. For example:
Philosophy = that which is espoused by a philosopher. Silence = the state of being silent.
If one does not know philosophy or silence (one does not know what is espoused by a philosopher or the
state of being silent respectively) that, therefore, strictly speaking the definienda above have not been defined or
adequately defined.
However, a definition is not circular when one of the several words in a definiendum is repeated in the
definiens so long as that very word is not seriously in question. For example:
Isosceles triangle — triangle having two sides of equal length.
But all the words in the definiendum should not be repeated otherwise the definition is circular. For example:
Counter-culture = a culture especially of the young with values and mores that run counter to those of
established society.
One should also be very cautious in the use of correlatives, negatives and synonyms since circularity often
occurs in their use. For example:
(Correlative): effect = that which is produced by a cause. (Negative): timid = not brave. (Synonym): hermaphrodite =
androgyny.
5. An adequate definition should not be negative when it can be affirmative. This is so because a
negative of anything is a host of many things which are not the thing of which they are negative.
Therefore, a negative of a definiendum hardly points to what a definiendum is. The negative of a dog,
that is, what is not a dog, is everything which is not a dog. And that does not tell the meaning of a dog.
For example:
Couch = a piece of furniture that is neither a bed nor a chair.

7
 Concord = the absence of discord.
However, some terms are intrinsically negative and therefore for such a negative definition would be
quite appropriate. For example:
Orphan = a child who does not have either of the parents. Bald = the absence of hair on one's
head.
6. An adequate definition should avoid affective terminologies — terminologies that arouse emotional
reactions, but instead state the meaning of the definiendum and the conditions under which it
should be used. For example:
Theism = belief in that great Santa Claus in the sky.
Marriage = social group consisting of one master, one mistress and two slaves, making it all four.
History — an account, mostly false, of unimportant events which are brought about by rulers mostly
rogues, and soldiers, mostly fools.
7. An adequate definition should conform to the standards of proper grammar, that is, it should be
grammatically correct. For example:
(Incorrect) vacation = when you don't have to go to work or school.
(Correct) vacation = a period during which activity is suspended from work or school.
(Incorrect) furious = you are angry at someone. (Correct) furious = a condition of being angry.
8. An adequate definition should not be expressed in needlessly technical or obscure, figurative, vague or
ambiguous language.
i). Technical language: the needless use of overly technical language is one of the ways of obscuring the
meaning of the definiendum and the definition can hardly convey much information about the definiendum.
And of course I am not unaware that obscurity is a relative term. For example:
Eating = the successive performance of the functions of mastication, humectation, and deglutination.
The definiens of this definition may be simplified thus "the successive performance of the functions of
chewing, mosturing and extracting of protein".
ii). Figurative language: a figurative definition uses metaphors or paints a picture instead of stating the
essential meaning of a definiendum. For example:
Camel = a ship of the desert.
iii). Vague language: when a definition uses a vague language then the meaning of the definiendum becomes
blurred. For example:
Democracy = a form of government where the people are in control.
One can hardly get the clear meanings of the definiens since it does not specify the people who are in
control, the means by which they get in control, how that control is exercised, over whom it is exercised and for
what goals it is exercised.
iv). Ambiguous language: A definition, which uses an ambiguous language, becomes open to more than
one clear interpretation. For example:
Triangle = a figure composed of three straight lines in which all angles are equal to 180 degrees.
The definiens of this definition may mean each angle is equal to 180 degrees or that the sum of the angles is
equal to 180 degrees. And since the language is ambiguous, one cannot clearly know the intended interpretation,
hence meaning.