definiering

Definiering is the act or process of defining a term, concept, or set of terms. In fields such as linguistics, philosophy, and knowledge organization, definiering involves articulating the essential criteria that delimit a term’s meaning, often by specifying necessary and sufficient conditions, examples, and boundaries. The result is a definition intended to be clear, usable, and testable against actual usage.

The term derives from the verb definire (to define) and appears in several Germanic languages with variations such as definering or definiering, depending on orthographic conventions. In Dutch, the corresponding noun is definitie or definiëring; in Norwegian and Swedish, definering and definiering are common forms.

Usage and purpose: Defining is central to dictionaries, glossaries, taxonomies, and ontologies, where precise definitions support disambiguation, indexing, and semantic interoperability. In law, science, and education, well-crafted definitions constrain scope, set criteria for inclusion, and facilitate testing of hypotheses and arguments.

Challenges: Definiering faces issues such as circularity (defining a term by itself), vagueness, extension versus intension debates, and boundary cases that resist neat categorization. Definitions can become outdated as knowledge evolves or usage shifts, requiring periodic revision.

See also: Definition, Glossary, Ontology, Terminology, Conceptual analysis.