determinata

Determinata is the feminine form of the Latin adjective determinatus, meaning “determined,” “fixed,” or “decided.” It is used in Latin phrases and in scholarly works that quote Latin texts, where the form agrees with feminine nouns. The related masculine and neuter forms are determinatus and determinatum, respectively.

In legal, philosophical, and linguistic contexts, determinata appears as part of expressions describing a determinate or definite thing or attribute. A well-known Latin phrase is res determinata, meaning a determinate matter or thing, in contrast to res indeterminata (an indeterminate matter). In these traditions, determinata functions as a descriptive adjective rather than a standalone concept, and it helps distinguish definite entities from more general or indefinite ones.

In biology and taxonomy, determinata is sometimes used as a specific epithet in Latin binomials to indicate that a taxon has a defined or characteristic state noted by the describer. It does not denote a separate taxonomic rank by itself but rather contributes to the naming of a species or other taxon to convey a particular trait or condition associated with that name.

In philosophy and logic, determinata can appear in discussions of determinacy, referring to a determinate entity, proposition, or object in contrast to indeterminate or potential ones. Its usage is typically contextual, signaling definiteness rather than introducing a standalone theory.

See also determinatus, determinatum, determinism.