definir

Definir is a verb common to several Romance languages, most notably Spanish, Portuguese, and Catalan, with the French cognate définir. It denotes the act of determining or stating the meaning, nature, or boundaries of something, as well as specifying characteristics or limits.

Etymology traces the word to Latin definire, formed from de- (completely, thoroughly) and finis (end, boundary). Over time, the sense expanded from setting boundaries to describing essence and meaning.

Usage and meaning vary slightly by language, but the core idea remains: to assign a precise meaning or identify the limits of a concept, term, object, or rule. In everyday language, definir can be used for linguistic definitions (definir una palabra), technical specifications (definir las condiciones), or philosophical clarifications (definir un concepto). It can be followed by como to introduce a definition, as in definir como "un término".

Conjugation varies by language. In Spanish, present indicative forms are defino, defines, define, definimos, definís, definen; the preterite is definí, definiste, definió, definimos, definisteis, definieron. In Portuguese, present indicative forms are defino, defines, define, definimos, definis, definem; the pretérito perfeito simples is defini, definiste, definiu, definimos, definistes, definiram. In Catalan, present forms include defineixo, defineixes, defineix, defineim, defineix, defineixen. Across these languages, the verb remains transitive and commonly co-occurs with a direct object.

See also: definicion/definición/definire, especificar, delimitar, precisar.