mådefineres

mådefineres is a Danish phrase that expresses the idea that a thing must be defined. It is typically written as two words, må defineres, with må as a modal auxiliary meaning must or may, and defineres as the present passive form of definerere (to define). In standard Danish orthography, the normal form is two words; the single-word variant may appear in headlines, labels, or compact titles, but it is not considered standard in regular prose.

Grammatically, mådefineres functions as a finite verb phrase indicating necessity or obligation. It can be used in statements or directives to signal that a term, concept, or boundary needs clarification before further analysis or action. Examples in standard sentences include: Forskningens begreber må defineres klart, før dataanalyserne kan begynde. Når et begreb må defineres, bliver anvendelsen af modellen mere præcis. The construction can occur with different subjects, and the tense is determined by the auxiliary verb and the context.

Usage considerations: The phrase is common in academic, policy, and technical writing, where precise terminology affects methodology, interpretation, and reproducibility. It helps set requirements for definitions and scope, reducing ambiguity in subsequent steps of a project or argument.

See also: definere, modal verbs in Danish, definition, terminology planning.