Definition in Different Languages
Discover 'Definition' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
At its core, a 'definition' is a statement that explains the meaning of a word or concept (definition in English). But did you know that this humble word has fascinating cultural significance and intriguing translations in different languages?
For instance, in Spanish, 'definición' goes beyond just words, extending to concepts and even boundaries. In German, 'Definition' reflects the language's affinity for precision, capturing the essence of something in a clear and concise manner. And in Japanese, '定義' (teigi) demonstrates the language's unique writing system, combining Chinese characters with phonetic elements.
Understanding the definition in different languages not only broadens your vocabulary but also offers a window into various cultures and their ways of thinking. So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or a global citizen, delving into the world of definitions can be a truly enriching experience.
Definition
Definition in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | definisie | ||
| The Afrikaans word "definisie" has two etymological roots: Latin and French. | |||
| Amharic | ትርጉም | ||
| In the field of linguistics, ትርጉም is also used to refer to the morphological analysis or parsing of a word or phrase. | |||
| Hausa | ma'anar | ||
| Ma'anar is a Hausa word that can also mean "meaning" or "purpose." | |||
| Igbo | nkọwa | ||
| "Nkọwa" means both "definition" and "description" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | famaritana | ||
| In Malagasy, "famaritana" is derived from the verb "famari-tena," meaning "to make a statement" or "to pronounce" | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | tanthauzo | ||
| The word 'tanthauzo' in Nyanja also means 'to explain' or 'to give an account of'. | |||
| Shona | tsananguro | ||
| In Shona, the term "tsananguro" not only refers to a formal explanation but also to an omen, signifying revelation of an event's outcome through observations and interpretations. | |||
| Somali | qeexitaan | ||
| The word "qeexitaan" also means "explanation" or "meaning" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | tlhaloso | ||
| "Tlhaloso" can also mean "reason" or "explanation". | |||
| Swahili | ufafanuzi | ||
| The word "ufafanuzi" in Swahili can also refer to the act of explaining or clarifying something | |||
| Xhosa | inkcazo | ||
| The Xhosa word 'inkcazo' is derived from the verb 'caza' meaning 'cut' or 'divide into parts', indicating the act of demarcating and clarifying a concept. | |||
| Yoruba | itumọ | ||
| "Itumo "also signifies a "way of being", "character," and an "attribute" | |||
| Zulu | incazelo | ||
| In Zulu, "incazelo" can also refer to a statement or explanation. | |||
| Bambara | yirali | ||
| Ewe | gɔmeɖeɖe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ibisobanuro | ||
| Lingala | ndimbola | ||
| Luganda | okuwa amakulu | ||
| Sepedi | tlhalošo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nkyerɛaseɛ | ||
Definition in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تعريف | ||
| The word "تعريف" can also mean "proof" or "evidence" in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | הַגדָרָה | ||
| The Hebrew word "הגדרה" (definition) is derived from the root "גדר" (fence), suggesting the act of enclosing or delimiting something in order to define it. | |||
| Pashto | تعریف | ||
| The Pashto word "تعریف" can also mean "praise" or "commendation". | |||
| Arabic | تعريف | ||
| The word "تعريف" can also mean "proof" or "evidence" in Arabic. | |||
Definition in Western European Languages
| Albanian | përkufizimi | ||
| "Përkufizim" comes from the Latin word "definire" which means "to set limits or boundaries". | |||
| Basque | definizioa | ||
| The Basque word "definizioa" comes from the Latin word "definitio", which means either "a limit" or "a purpose". | |||
| Catalan | definició | ||
| The Catalan word "definició" traces its roots back to the Latin word "definitio", meaning "limit" or "boundary". | |||
| Croatian | definicija | ||
| The word "definicija" also has the meaning of "precision" in Croatian. | |||
| Danish | definition | ||
| In Danish, "definition" also denotes a statement that is made by way of explanation and explanation. | |||
| Dutch | definitie | ||
| "Definitie" in Dutch also means "final amount" (of a bill). | |||
| English | definition | ||
| In addition to its noun form, "definition" can also be used as a verb that means to determine the boundaries or scope of something. | |||
| French | définition | ||
| In French, "définition" can also refer to a statement of the nature or scope of a project, law, or other undertaking. | |||
| Frisian | definysje | ||
| It is cognate with English 'definition', both ultimately derived from Latin 'definitio'. | |||
| Galician | definición | ||
| In Galician, "definición" can mean "determination" or "resolution" of a problem, issue, or situation. | |||
| German | definition | ||
| The word "Definition" in German can also mean "purpose" or "determination". | |||
| Icelandic | skilgreining | ||
| In some cases, the word 'skilgreining' can also refer to a 'distinction' or 'differentiation'. | |||
| Irish | sainmhíniú | ||
| Italian | definizione | ||
| In addition to its literal meaning "definition," "definizione" can also refer to a type of Italian pasta or a specific sequence of dance moves. | |||
| Luxembourgish | definitioun | ||
| Definitioun is derived from the Latin word | |||
| Maltese | definizzjoni | ||
| The word "definizzjoni" can also be used to refer to a term or phrase that explains the meaning or purpose of something. | |||
| Norwegian | definisjon | ||
| The Norwegian word "definisjon" derives from the Latin word "definitio", meaning "boundary" or "limitation". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | definição | ||
| The Portuguese term "definição" can also refer to the act of sharpening, or the edge of a blade. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | mìneachadh | ||
| The word "mìneachadh" can also refer to the action of defining something or the state of being defined. | |||
| Spanish | definición | ||
| The word "definición" in Spanish can also mean "resolution" in the sense of a determination or decision that is made after careful consideration. | |||
| Swedish | definition | ||
| In Swedish, the word "definition" can also refer to a specific statement or clause that clarifies or explains something. | |||
| Welsh | diffiniad | ||
| Diffiniad's root word is 'diffin,'' meaning 'to end' in Latin. | |||
Definition in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | вызначэнне | ||
| Bosnian | definicija | ||
| The noun "definicija" can also mean "clarification of a question"} | |||
| Bulgarian | определение | ||
| The etymology and alternate meanings of "определение" (definition) in Bulgarian are extensive, with origins in Old Church Slavonic and multiple nuances of meaning. | |||
| Czech | definice | ||
| The Czech word "definice" can also refer to a type of pickle or a kind of mathematical function. | |||
| Estonian | määratlus | ||
| The word "määratlus" also means "specification" or "determination". | |||
| Finnish | määritelmä | ||
| In older Finnish, "määritelmä" referred to the object being defined rather than the definition itself. | |||
| Hungarian | meghatározás | ||
| Meghatározás is also a Hungarian word that can mean "determination" or "specification". | |||
| Latvian | definīcija | ||
| In Latin, "definitio" means "boundary" or "limitation," as well as "definition". | |||
| Lithuanian | apibrėžimas | ||
| The word "apibrėžimas" in Lithuanian also means "perimeter" and "scope". | |||
| Macedonian | дефиниција | ||
| The Macedonian word "дефиниција" (definition) can also mean "stipulation" or "condition." | |||
| Polish | definicja | ||
| "Definicja" w języku polskim pochodzi od łacińskiego "definire" oznaczającego "określać". | |||
| Romanian | definiție | ||
| The Romanian word “definiție” is also a homonym for the “prohibiting” action, as it derives from the Latin verb “defendere”, meaning “to defend”. | |||
| Russian | определение | ||
| "Определение" in Russian can also mean "determination" or "verdict". | |||
| Serbian | дефиниција | ||
| The Serbian word "дефиниција" (definition) shares a common etymological origin with "defensio", the Latin word for "defense", hinting at the idea of protecting or clarifying a concept | |||
| Slovak | definícia | ||
| Definícia comes from the Latin word 'definitio', meaning 'boundary' or 'limitation'. | |||
| Slovenian | opredelitev | ||
| Opredelitev ('definition') izvira iz latinske besede 'definire', kar pomeni 'določiti'. | |||
| Ukrainian | визначення | ||
| "Визначення" can also mean "determination" or "recognition" in Ukrainian. | |||
Definition in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সংজ্ঞা | ||
| The Bengali word "সংজ্ঞা" (definition) has an alternative meaning of "significance" or "importance". | |||
| Gujarati | વ્યાખ્યા | ||
| "વ્યાખ્યા" shares its root with "વિ" (apart) and "અખ" (expression), together meaning "an articulation of distinct points about something." | |||
| Hindi | परिभाषा | ||
| The word 'paribhasha' originates from Sanskrit and can also refer to a 'technical term' or 'convention'. | |||
| Kannada | ವ್ಯಾಖ್ಯಾನ | ||
| Malayalam | നിർവചനം | ||
| The word നിര്വറ്റനം ("definition") is derived from the Sanskrit words നിര്വറ്റന ("meaning") and ആനാന ("establish"). | |||
| Marathi | व्याख्या | ||
| The word "व्याख्या" can also refer to an explanation or comment. | |||
| Nepali | परिभाषा | ||
| The word "परिभाषा" is derived from the Sanskrit roots "परि" (around) and "भाष्" (to speak), and can also mean "explanation" or "description". | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਰਿਭਾਸ਼ਾ | ||
| The word "paribhasha" can also refer to a technical term, a concept or an idiom. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අර්ථ දැක්වීම | ||
| Tamil | வரையறை | ||
| The Tamil word "வரையறை" can also mean "limitation" or "restriction". | |||
| Telugu | నిర్వచనం | ||
| నిర్వచనం is a Telugu word derived from Sanskrit, where 'nir' means 'distinction' and 'vacana' means 'speech' or 'clarification'. | |||
| Urdu | تعریف | ||
| The word "تعریف" also means "praise" or "compliment" in Urdu. | |||
Definition in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 定义 | ||
| 定义 (dìngyì) literally means 'to determine meaning', and can also mean 'stipulate' or 'decide'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 定義 | ||
| 「定義」（정의）의 어원은 「義分」（의분）으로, 본래는 사물의 분류나 등급을 말하는 말이었다. | |||
| Japanese | 定義 | ||
| The word "定義" is also used to describe the physical size or shape of an object. | |||
| Korean | 정의 | ||
| The noun "정의" can also mean "justice", a different reading of the same hanja. | |||
| Mongolian | тодорхойлолт | ||
| The word тодорхойлолт can also mean 'specification' or 'explanation' in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အဓိပ္ပါယ်ဖွင့်ဆိုချက် | ||
Definition in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | definisi | ||
| "Definisi" comes from the Sanskrit word "dipa" meaning "to shine" and refers to the action of illuminating or making something clear. | |||
| Javanese | definisi | ||
| "Definisi" in Javanese also means "description" and "meaning". | |||
| Khmer | និយមន័យ | ||
| Lao | ນິຍາມ | ||
| Malay | takrif | ||
| The Malay word "takrif" can also refer to the boundary or limit of something. | |||
| Thai | นิยาม | ||
| In Thai, "นิยาม" can refer to the description of something, its purpose, or its scope. | |||
| Vietnamese | định nghĩa | ||
| "Định nghĩa" (definition) comes from the Chinese word "定" (firm, fixed) and " nghĩa" (meaning), indicating a fixed or established meaning. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kahulugan | ||
Definition in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | tərif | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "tərif" not only means "definition," but also "meaning," "interpretation," or "explanation." | |||
| Kazakh | анықтама | ||
| The Kazakh word "анықтама" can also refer to a reference book or a certificate. | |||
| Kyrgyz | аныктама | ||
| Tajik | таъриф | ||
| In Persian, "ta'rif" can also mean "introduction" or the "science of praise". | |||
| Turkmen | kesgitlemesi | ||
| Uzbek | ta'rifi | ||
| The word "ta'rifi" in Uzbek shares its root with the Persian word "tarif," which means "description" or "explanation." | |||
| Uyghur | ئېنىقلىما | ||
Definition in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ho'ākāka | ||
| "Ho'ākāka" derives from the words "ho'a" (to announce) and "ākāka" (clear), and also means "explanation". | |||
| Maori | whakamāramatanga | ||
| Whakamrama-tang-a: the act of marking a definition; the fact of being defined | |||
| Samoan | faʻauiga | ||
| The word "faʻauiga" also means "interpretation" or "explanation" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kahulugan | ||
| The word 'kahulugan' derives from the root word 'hulug' meaning 'to fall or descend', likely referring to the concept of a definition as something that is arrived at or extracted. | |||
Definition in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | qhananchawi | ||
| Guarani | he'iséva | ||
Definition in International Languages
| Esperanto | difino | ||
| The word "difino" is derived from the root "difin-", which also means "to decide". Additionally, "difino" can refer to a decisive or defining moment. | |||
| Latin | definition | ||
| In Latin, the word "definition" originally meant "a boundary" or "a limit". | |||
Definition in Others Languages
| Greek | ορισμός | ||
| The word ορισμός (definition) is derived from the Ancient Greek verb ὀρίζω (horizō), meaning 'to determine' or 'to limit'. | |||
| Hmong | txhais tau | ||
| Txhais tau means 'definition' in Hmong and can also refer to the act of defining something, providing an explanation or interpretation. | |||
| Kurdish | binavî | ||
| The Kurdish word "binavî" has been used since the middle ages and comes from Middle Persian "bināf" which also meant 'definition'. | |||
| Turkish | tanım | ||
| "Tanım" can also mean "recognition", "knowledge", or "understanding" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | inkcazo | ||
| The Xhosa word 'inkcazo' is derived from the verb 'caza' meaning 'cut' or 'divide into parts', indicating the act of demarcating and clarifying a concept. | |||
| Yiddish | דעפֿיניציע | ||
| The Yiddish word "דעפֿיניציע" ("definition") derives from the Latin "definitio", meaning "to limit" or "to set bounds." | |||
| Zulu | incazelo | ||
| In Zulu, "incazelo" can also refer to a statement or explanation. | |||
| Assamese | সংজ্ঞা | ||
| Aymara | qhananchawi | ||
| Bhojpuri | परिभाषा | ||
| Dhivehi | ޑެފިނީޝަން | ||
| Dogri | परिभाशा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kahulugan | ||
| Guarani | he'iséva | ||
| Ilocano | kaipapanan | ||
| Krio | minin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پێناسە | ||
| Maithili | परिभाषा | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯋꯥꯡꯟꯊꯣꯛ | ||
| Mizo | hrilhfiahna | ||
| Oromo | hiika | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସଂଜ୍ଞା | ||
| Quechua | niynin | ||
| Sanskrit | परिभाषा | ||
| Tatar | билгеләмә | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣገላልፃ | ||
| Tsonga | nhlamuselo | ||