definitie

Definitie is the term used in Dutch to denote a statement that explains the meaning of a term or concept by identifying its essential properties, boundaries, or referents. The idea behind a definitie is to bound what a term covers and to distinguish it from related terms. Etymologically, the word derives from Latin definitio, from definire, meaning to bound or limit. In logic and philosophy, a good definitie clarifies what is included in the term and what is excluded.

Definitions serve several purposes. They establish common ground for communication, resolve ambiguity, and provide a basis for analysis, argument, and categorization. They are used in dictionaries, academic writing, and legal or scientific contexts to ensure that terms are understood consistently.

There are several kinds of definitions. Lexical definitions describe how a term is used in ordinary language, as found in dictionaries. Stipulative definitions assign a specific meaning for a term within a particular context, often to introduce a new term or to fix usage. Precising definitions aim to reduce vagueness by narrowing a term’s scope. Theoretical definitions define a term in terms of a theory’s concepts and relations. Operational definitions specify how a concept will be measured or observed, and ostensive definitions define a term by pointing to examples.

A classic approach to definition is the genus-differentia method: identify the general category (genus) to which something belongs and then specify what sets it apart (differentia). For example, “a triangle is a plane figure with three sides” uses the genus “plane figure” and the differentia “three sides.” Good definitions are clear, precise, non-circular, and non-contradictory, and they may be revised as language and knowledge evolve.