essay definition merriam webster

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The Draconian Dictionary Is Back

Since the 1960s, the reference book has cataloged how people actually use language, not how they should. That might be changing. An Object Lesson .

In 1961, what newly published book was denounced as “subversive and intolerably offensive”? Was it the new American edition of Tropic of Cancer , Henry Miller’s sexually explicit autobiographical novel? Nope. Although that book was called filthy, rotten, repulsive, and “an affront to human decency,” the correct answer is Webster’s Third New International Dictionary .

It might be hard to understand how a dictionary could have been deemed “subversive.” Indeed, the source of the outrage—the inclusion of slang and nonstandard terms such as the word ain’t —seems unobjectionable today. In 2011, the linguist Geoffrey Nunberg wrote of the kerfuffle in The New York Times , “It’s a safe bet that no new dictionary will ever incite a similar uproar, whatever it contains. The dictionary simply doesn’t have the symbolic importance it did a half-century ago.”

That symbolic importance is summed up in the phrase Nunberg uses: “ t he dictionary,” a singular reference book for language. The idea of such a thing is fiction: Ever since the early days of dictionary making in England 400 years ago, there have been competing dictionaries—never a sole, eternal authority. “The dictionary” isn’t a real thing so much as a symbol for the idea of proper English.

This symbol has been particularly powerful in the United States. That may be because print dictionaries have embodied certain ideas about democracy and capitalism that seem especially American—specifically, the notion that “good” English can be packaged and sold, becoming accessible to anyone willing to work hard enough to learn it.

Massive social changes in the 1960s accompanied the appearance of Webster’s Third , and a new era arose for dictionaries: one in which describing how people use language became more important than showing them how to do so properly. But that era might finally be coming to an end, thanks to the internet, the decline of print dictionaries, and the political consequences of an anything-goes approach to language.

The first English dictionary was Robert Cawdrey’s A Table Alphabeticall , published in 1604. In it, he announces that he is not writing for scholars or experts, but for “ladies, gentlewomen, or any other unskillful persons”—that is, those who had traditionally been deprived of educational opportunities. Cawdrey’s book was, in a way, a self-help book as much as a reference book. Because girls rarely had the opportunity to attend school and were not admitted to British universities, women would have relied on Cawdrey to help them to (in his words) “more easily and better understand many hard English wordes.” It’s unclear if Cawdrey was truly interested in female empowerment, or if he simply saw an opportunity for financial gain in women’s predicament. Still, the fact that his book was marketed to them is notable, because this was the era when Britain’s literary glass ceiling was broken: Elizabeth Cary, Margaret Cavendish, and Aphra Behn weren’t just writing private letters to friends or scribbling in secret; they were professional authors selling published works.

In 1755, Samuel Johnson, a bookseller’s son from Lichfield, published what is still arguably the greatest achievement by any English-language lexicographer, A Dictionary of the English Language . The two-volume book brought him success and widespread acclaim. In compiling his opus, Johnson didn’t just improve his own status, he helped others along, too. Among the beneficiaries of his accomplishment were Johnson’s fellow provincials. Although Johnson had needed to leave the University of Oxford after only one year due to a lack of financial means, throughout England there were other strivers with even less education. Many of them turned to dictionaries to help them overcome their limited vocabularies and poor spelling.

In America, dictionaries had a similarly leveling effect. Noah Webster was an eccentric and zealous patriot who saw a uniquely American English language as a way to turn former English subjects into American citizens. In the late-18th century, Webster began producing dictionaries and spellers. In 1828, he published his masterwork, An American Dictionary of the English Language . Webster’s dictionary didn’t just define English words for people who already had good facility with reading and writing, like writers and teachers and ministers. His dictionary also helped the sort of people who didn’t come from upper-crust neighborhoods in New York or Boston exchange their native dialects for standard American English. Some enslaved people (most notably Frederick Douglass) were able to get ahold of dictionaries and spellers, which they used, defiantly, to teach themselves to read and write. When immigration exploded later in the century, newcomers used dictionaries partly to better understand the nuances of their adopted language, partly to efface their national origins.

During the uproar over Webster’s Third , this history of dictionaries as a form of self-help literature collided head-on with the societal upheaval of the 1960s. In the quarter-century that had elapsed since the previous edition, new editors at the Merriam-Webster company had set to work assembling a dictionary informed by the study of linguistics, a discipline that took a neutral stance on grammar and usage. Unfortunately, they didn’t reckon with their customers’ emotional attachment to the older, more judgy style of dictionary making.

The standard way of describing these two approaches in lexicography is to call them “descriptivist” and “prescriptivist.” Descriptivist lexicographers, steeped in linguistic theory, eschew value judgements about so-called correct English and instead describe how people are using the language. Prescriptivists, by contrast, inform readers which usage is “right” and which is “wrong.”

At the time, the press responded with knee-jerk revulsion to descriptivism. The New York Times , for example, dubbed Webster’s Third “a disaster.” The New Yorker devoted 24 pages to Dwight Macdonald’s dyspeptic evaluation of the book, which seems excessively long even by then-editor William Shawn’s standards. The Atlantic critic Wilson Follett was also not a fan. His review in the January 1962 issue called the book “a very great calamity.” (The magazine ran a kinder evaluation by Bergen Evans four months later.)

These vitriolic responses came as a shock to the Merriam staff, who were accustomed to thinking of themselves as essentially harmless, like Johnson had. Many American readers, though, didn’t want a nonhierarchical assessment of their language. They wanted to know which usages were “correct,” because being able to rely on a dictionary to tell you how to sound educated and upper class made becoming upper class seem as if it might be possible. That’s why the public responded badly to Webster’s latest: They craved guidance and rules.

Webster’s Third so unnerved critics and customers because the American idea of social mobility is limited, provisional, and full of paradoxes. There’s no such thing as social mobility if everyone can enjoy it. To be allowed to move around within a hierarchy implies that the hierarchy must be left largely intact. But in America, people have generally accepted the idea of inherited upper-class status, while seeing upward social mobility as something that must be earned.

Allowing vulgar words into the lexicon, as many accused Merriam-Webster of doing, signaled to some that the hierarchy was being dismantled. And it was, to an extent: This was the decade that saw the introduction of the birth-control pill, the end of Jim Crow, the publication of The Feminine Mystique , and the Stonewall riots. In a 2001 Harper’s essay about the Webster’s Third controversy, David Foster Wallace called the publication of the dictionary “the Fort Sumter of the contemporary usage wars.” I’d go a step further and say that it might be thought of as an early salvo in the contemporary culture wars writ large. If the book had been published 10 years earlier, it might not have caused a stir at all. People had to be pretty nervous about general societal “permissiveness” to be so rattled by the lack of grammatical fastidiousness in a dictionary.

It’s hard to remember now, but for decades after the publication of Webster’s Third , people still had intense opinions about dictionaries. In the 1990s, an elderly copy editor once told me, with considerable vehemence, that Merriam-Webster’s dictionaries were “garbage.” She would only use Houghton Mifflin’s American Heritage Dictionary , which boasted a usage panel of experts to advise readers about the finer points of English grammar. (David Foster Wallace was invited to join several years after his Harper’s essay; Geoffrey Nunberg, it should be noted, was the panel’s chairman.) I had worked for both dictionaries briefly, and I barely saw any difference between the two. American Heritage ’s usage notes really did very little to alter the overall descriptivist approach of the Houghton Mifflin dictionaries. The difference is that American Heritage tried to acknowledge and assuage the public’s sensitivity about linguistic permissiveness.

As the Merriam-Webster editor Kory Stamper revealed in her 2017 tell-all, Word by Word: The Secret Lives of Dictionaries , dictionaries still play a role in the culture wars. Members of the conservative fringe, she says, are still willing to flood editors’ inboxes with angry letters demanding, for example, that the definition of marriage be revised to exclude same-sex unions. Still, there’s no way such demands can be met: Stamper and her descriptivist colleagues are obligated to write definitions that reflect how language is actually used, not how the members of the Westboro Baptist Church wish it were used. That’s what descriptivists do: They describe rather than judge. Nowadays, this approach to dictionary making is generally not contested or even really discussed.

That’s not just because the company’s descriptivist approach, now embraced by all mainstream American dictionaries, has triumphed. Dictionaries, as Nunberg pointed out in the Times , are no longer as central to culture. That’s partially because people don’t rely on them so heavily for self-improvement, now that the internet provides an unending banquet of educational opportunities (no matter the accuracy of that feast). Furthermore, the ease with which automated spelling and grammar checkers offer corrections to human errors has downplayed dictionaries’ role as writing references.

But dictionaries haven’t lost status for that reason alone. There’s something about the end of the print format that has lowered customers’ attachment to the dictionary, or to put it more accurately, their dictionary. During the later years of the print era, Merriam-Webster and American Heritage were offering what were really very similar books, but very different brands. When you bought your print dictionary, you were implicitly taking sides. Unless you were investing in multiple dictionaries from a variety of publishers—and really, who was?—you were aligning yourself with your chosen dictionary’s public image. When the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (then published by American Heritage magazine) was released in 1969, the company marketed it to opponents of the counterculture. One advertisement portrayed the typical Merriam-Webster dictionary customer as a hippie, the ultimate incarnation of 1960s permissiveness.

In his 2009 book, Going Nucular , Geoffrey Nunberg observes that we now live in a culture in which there are no clear distinctions between highbrow, middlebrow, and lowbrow culture. It stands to reason that in a society in which speaking in a recognizably “highbrow” way confers no benefits, dictionaries will likely matter less. But oddly enough, Merriam-Webster is doing a great deal to promote the idea that sounding educated and using standard—if not highbrow—English really does matter. If American Heritage was aggressively branding itself in the 1960s, Merriam-Webster is doing the same now.

The company has a feisty blog and Twitter feed that it uses to criticize linguistic and grammatical choices. Donald Trump and his administration are regular catalysts for social-media clarifications by Merriam-Webster. The company seems bothered when Trump and his associates change the meanings of words for their own convenience, or when they debase the language more generally.

Maybe it’s not the dictionary that has become outmoded today, but descriptivism itself. I’m not implying that Merriam-Webster has or should abandon the philosophy that guides its lexicography, but it seems that the way the company has regained its relevance in the post-print era is by having a strong opinions about how people should use English. It may be that in spite of Webster’s Third’ s noble intentions, language may just be too human a thing to be treated in an entirely detached, scientific way. Indeed, I’m not sure I want to live in a society in which citizens can’t call out government leaders when they start subverting language in distressing ways. When Kellyanne Conway described the Trump administration’s demonstrably false statements as “alternative facts,” Merriam-Webster’s blogger tartly reminded her that a “ fact is generally understood to refer to something with actual existence, or presented as having objective reality.” True descriptivism, I suppose, would have called Conway’s definition an interesting new variant usage. I’m glad they called it what it is—an incorrect and deceitful one.

This post appears courtesy of Object Lessons .

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How to Write a Definition Essay (Plus Topics You Can Use and a Sample Essay)

Beginning an academic program can be an overwhelming prospect, particularly if you are uncomfortable with writing academic essays. Most programs will require multiple writing assignments on a weekly basis, with different types of essays being assigned based on the class content and professor's preferences. You'll need to be able to research a topic, create an essay outline based on that research, and write the essay using your research and outline as your guides.

Some essay assignments are a lot easier than others and the definition essay is one such type. A definition essay is exactly what it sounds like it should be: An essay you write to provide your reader with the definition of a word. However, it's more in-depth than simply writing a dictionary definition. You'll need to be able to put the definition in your own words, as well as provide examples of how that word is used in various contexts. You'll also need to be able to discuss the connotation and denotation of the word, which are terms we will clarify below.

So, let's look over some common questions academic writers have about a definition essay and clarify them.

What is the typical length of a definition essay?

Since the purpose of a definition essay is generally limited to defining one word, the length of the essay should be around 1 to 2 pages, if double-spaced. Within these paragraphs, you will cover various aspects of the definition, including how the word can be interpreted in multiple contexts and some examples of the word in a sentence.

What is included in a definition essay?

Although a definition essay is meant to define a word, you can't just copy the dictionary definition and be done with it. For a definition essay, you'll need to use your own words to define the term, including its connotation and denotation. Putting the definition in your own words makes your definition essay more interesting to your reader, who could just look the word up in the dictionary if all they're interested in is a dictionary definition.

Dictionaries also don't include multiple examples of the word used in context, so adding this element to your definition essay makes it more interested for your reader, allowing them to learn something they might not otherwise learn.

What is the difference between connotation and denotation?

Obviously, in order to include these within your definition essay, you need to understand the difference between the two. Below, we cover the definitions of connotation and denotation, as well as offer some examples of how this terminology applies to vocabulary words.

Connotation

According to Merriam-Webster (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/connotation), the connotation of a word is:

1a. something suggested or implied by a word or thing; 1b. the suggesting of a meaning by a word apart from the thing it explicitly names or describes

According to Merriam-Webster , the denotation of a word is:

1a. A direct specific meaning as distinct from an implied or associated idea

Connotation vs. denotation

So, when looking at the difference between the two, you have to consider how the English language contains words that have both a literal and implied meaning. For example, when we look at the word "home," we can consider its literal definition (or denotation), which is a building that is someone's (or a family's) living space.

However, when we consider its metaphorical meaning, we think of "home" as a place of security and comfort, such as "this place feels like home." In this sense, we are using the word's connotation instead of its denotation, or literal meaning.

How should I outline my definition essay?

Even though your definition essay will be around a page or two, at most, in length, you'll still need to follow a typical essay outline when writing it. A typical essay outline includes the introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Thus, your definition essay outline might look something like this:

• Mention the purpose of the essay (which is to define the term)
• A thesis statement that covers both the connotation and denotation of the term (in your own words)
• The origin of the term and other etymological information the reader might find interesting
• The denotation of the term (in your own words)
• Offer examples
• The connotation of the term (in your own words)
• A brief restatement of the definition of the term
• Additional information about the term your reader would find interesting

What are some possible definition essay topics?

If you're given the opportunity to determine your own topic for the definition essay assignment, it's a good idea to pick a term that you are familiar with, can define in your own words, and can discuss at length. Here are some ideas:

• How do you define world peace?
• What is your definition of family?
• What does the word "ego" mean to you?
• What is social media and how is it best defined?
• Define nanotechnology
• What is depression?
• What is your definition of a hero?
• How would you define a successful career?
• What is a team player and how would you define one?
• Define Capitalism and what it means to you.

Sample definition essay

Below is a sample definition essay for the word "love". Since many terms have several possible definitions and connotations, for a more interesting definition essay, try to choose a word that is not easily defined.

Sample Essay

The word "love" is used in various contexts and can mean different things to different people. There are also different types of love that are referred to in Ancient Greek writing that span everything from unconditional love to obsessive love. This essay will take a look at the meaning of the word—both its denotation and connotation—and explore some examples of how the word might be used in context.

With Germanic origins, the word "love" comes from the Old English "lufu." The root is a mix of Indo-European words, including the Sanskrit word "lubhyati," which means "desires," the Latin word "libet," which means "it is pleasing," and the Latin word "libido," which means "desire."

Merriam-Webster online offers several definitions of the word. Love can be a strong affection for another person based on familial or sexual ties. It can also be an attachment or devotion to an object or person. Thus, the denotation of the word "love" is an extreme affection or attachment to another based on shared history, family connection, or intimacy. In this sense, one might say: "I love my wife and want what's best for her."

The word "love" could hold various connotations for someone, depending on their experience with the emotion. For some, "love" might be a goal in a relationship or a feeling that is intensely intimate and important. For others, "love" could be something to avoid to keep from getting hurt or opening one's self up to potential betrayal. Beyond these associations, the word "love" can also be used when referring to an object or activity that one values or enjoys. For example, "I love going on walks by the beach" or "I love the architecture on this building" are ways the word "love" could be used in a sentence to show an affinity for an activity or object.

The Ancient Greeks believed that there were different types of love and labeled them based on the various emotions that one might feel toward another. For them, love was divided into: Agape (unconditional love), Eros (romantic love), Philia (affectionate love), Philautia (self-love), Storge (familiar love), Pragma (enduring love), Ludus (playful love), and Mania (obsessive love).

Ultimately, the word "love" can mean different things depending on context and the speaker's association with the word. While its most common definition refers to a close tie and intimacy with another person, it can also be used in reference to an affinity for an object or activity. In this situation, it's often used as synonymous with the words "like" or "enjoy" instead of referring to a close, intimate connection or feeling for another person.

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coterie Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 14, 2024 is: coterie \KOH-tuh-ree\ noun Coterie refers to an intimate and often exclusive group of people with a unifying common interest or purpose. // The mayor arrived at the meeting with a coterie of advisors. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coterie) Examples: "By day I was exposed to third-wave-feminist texts—lots of talk about claiming my power and rejecting gender roles. But on evenings and weekends, the small coterie of Latino students enrolled in my predominantly white college would gather and dance. The chasm between the bodily autonomy I was being empowered to have intellectually and the physical pliability to a partner’s will that salsa required was simply too wide for my teenage brain to bridge." — Xochitl Gonzalez, The Atlantic, 15 Jan. 2024 Did you know? A coterie today is, in essence, a [clique](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clique)—that is, a tight-knit group sharing interests in common. Historically, however, coteries hung around agricultural fields, not garden parties. In medieval France, coterie referred to a group of [feudal](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feudal) peasants who together held a parcel of land (that coterie comes from the Old French word for a single peasant, cotier). Such associations of country people inspired later French speakers to use coterie more broadly and apply it to other kinds of clubs and societies. By the time the word began appearing in English texts in the early 1700s, its meaning had been extended to refer to any circle of people who spent a great deal of time together, who shared the same basic attitudes, and who held a passion for some particular topic. Coterie mostly appears now in formal speech and writing, and tends also to imply a bit of [exclusivity](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exclusivity)—if you’re thinking of joining your local coterie, you may need to learn the secret handshake, or perhaps [bone up](https://bit.ly/44LhPJ5) on the latest techniques for harvesting barley.

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Dictionary Entry References

This page contains reference examples for dictionary entries, including the following:

• Entry in an online dictionary
• Entry in a print dictionary

1. Entry in an online dictionary

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Just-world hypothesis. In APA dictionary of psychology . Retrieved January 18, 2020, from https://dictionary.apa.org/just-world-hypothesis

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Semantics. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary . Retrieved January 4, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semantics

• Parenthetical citations : (American Psychological Association, n.d.; Merriam-Webster, n.d.)
• Narrative citations : American Psychological Association (n.d.) and Merriam-Webster (n.d.)
• Because entries in the APA Dictionary of Psychology and Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary are updated over time and are not archived, include a retrieval date in the reference.
• The author and publisher are the same for the dictionaries in the examples, so the name appears in the author element only to avoid repetition.
• Semantics refers to the “study of meanings” (Merriam-Webster, n.d., Definition 1).

2. Entry in a print dictionary

American Psychological Association. (2015). Mood induction. In APA dictionary of psychology (2nd ed., p. 667).

Merriam-Webster. (2003). Litmus test. In Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary (11th ed., p. 727).

• Parenthetical citations : (American Psychological Association, 2015; Merriam-Webster, 2003)
• Narrative citations : American Psychological Association (2015) and Merriam-Webster (2003)
• Provide any edition information about the dictionary in parentheses without italics after the dictionary title.
• Provide the page number for the entry in parentheses after the title of the dictionary. When both an edition and page number are present, place them in the same set of parentheses, separated with a comma.

Dictionary entry references are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 10.3 and the Concise Guide Section 10.3

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Is there a standard dictionary for referencing English words?

I am working on a paper in which we need to reference the meaning of english words as foundation for the analysis in the paper (we are categorizing situations using these words, and there is no method of categorizing these items, so no precedent).

Before internet, using the encyclopedia Britannica or merriam-webster dictionary was easy for referencing the book itself. These days, words and meanings change and are sometimes updated. Even more, looking online for a dictionary for finding a word returns many results.

When searching for oxford dictionary there are three results http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/ http://www.oed.com/ http://oaadonline.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/

Merriam webster: http://www.merriam-webster.com/

Cambridge: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/

The online dictionary: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

And of course wikipedia usually has some definition.

For example, if we categorize something as 'multi-' , In this dictionary: http://oaadonline.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/multi multi is "More than one". However, in this http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multi , multi is "More than two". That is a huge difference in terminology.

Is there an academic standard for the age of online dictionaries? Have words just begun to mean different things and its futile to use dictionaries in this way?

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• 10 The OED is unquestionably the "gold standard" in English-language dictionaries. Everything else pretty much pales in comparison. –  aeismail Commented Aug 29, 2014 at 5:17
• 3 Words have ALWAYS had somewhat fuzzy meanings. Local usage, jargon usage, usage change over time, and so on. I would assume that anything called a "learner's dictionary" is likely to be oversimplified, but beyond that I think you're going to simply have to accept that this is a fuzzy-logic problem. Natural language analysis is an EXTREMELY hard problem; it's a minor miracle that supercomputer systems such as IBM's Watson are finally making some progress in that area. –  keshlam Commented Aug 29, 2014 at 5:21
• 1 If anything, the availability of on-line dictionaries has simply made apparent the fact that there never was such a thing as an "objective" or "true" dictionary definition. Choose a dictionary of high repute -- the OED seems like a good choice, but you could have factors which nudge you in a different direction, or force you to use more than one -- and stick to it. –  tripleee Commented Aug 29, 2014 at 7:18
• I edited your question because what is true from one language might not be for another one. For instance, there is an official French institution in charge of defining the language, with an online dictionary . I don't believe there is anything similar for the English language. –  user102 Commented Aug 29, 2014 at 8:01
• @CharlesMorisset: There most definitely isn't. –  aeismail Commented Aug 29, 2014 at 15:41

2 Answers 2

www.oed.com is the online version of the full, official Oxford English Dictionary. Requires a subscription (institutional or personal) to access. This is the site you should use whenever possible.

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com is an ad-supported version with some features cut. Avoid if you have subscription access to the full site (as any university should).

http://oaadonline.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/ is, clearly, for learners of the English language. Use it as a guide for learning, sure - but not as a guide for writing papers.

The OED is the English dictionary to use. Other dictionaries are probably fine in all but the weirdest corner cases, but it helps to have some standardization.

Your journal probably specifies its own preferences in this regard. Every publisher's "guide for authors" that I have seen tells you to defer to the OED. Sometimes you'll see specific instructions to use either British or American spellings, and you may specifically be told how to spell words that don't have a British or American "standard" spelling, such as parametrize .

• But when the topic of research is word meanings, simply going by the OED alone may be inadequate. –  tripleee Commented Aug 29, 2014 at 8:09

onelook.com is a nice resource; it links to several online dictionaries from one convenient place. (Although it does not link to the OED, and I agree that the OED is both authoritative and reputable – more on that in a bit.)

Still, words often have fuzzy meanings, and it's often good to cite a couple of reputable sources when establishing definitions.

Your multi- example is a good one. When you find dictionaries have conflicting meanings of a word, it might be best to provide multiple definitions, and then declare which meaning you intend to use throughout your paper or thesis.

Collins has an interesting listing for multi- , in that it lists both of the meanings you allude to:

multi- 1 many or much ⇒ multiflorous , multimillion 2 more than one ⇒ multiparous , multistorey

It's also important to know what kind of dictionary you are citing, and what that dictionary's goal is. For example, some dictionaries list what they deem as primary meanings first, while others order a word's definitions based on how the word evolved. Others, like Cambridge Dictionary Online , are designed to be a learner's dictionary; CDO's definitions are relatively basic, and geared more toward those who are learning English as a second language. Some online dictionaries are wikis, like Wiktionary , which might be good for finding the most up-to-date slang usages, but are probably not the best sources to cite in scholarly works.

The goal of the OED is a comprehensive, exhaustive list of usages, starting from the very early usages, and going to more contemporary. For example, looking up multi- in the OED yields 10 results; one of them begins with:

Forming parasynthetic adjectives, with the sense ‘more than one, several, many’. From the adjectives are formed adverbs (e.g. multiserially ) and nouns (e.g. multicellularity ). Some formations of this kind acquire a noun sense, as multicore , multiengine .

It then goes on to list dozens of examples, many of them rare or obsolete, along with references that stretch back as far as the 1700s, such as:

multinodal adj. having many nodes. 1839 J. Lindley Introd. Bot. (ed. 3) i. ii. 160 The multinodal cyme offers no fixed rule in the spirals of its nodes . 1902 Biometrika 1 264 These maxima must arise from the mortality curve itself being multinodal . 1979 Cell & Tissue Res. 199 225 Probit frequency analysis, a graphic method for determining whether a population is normally distributed, skewed, or multinodal . multinodate adj. rare = multinodal adj. 1840 B. H. Smart Walker's Crit. Pronouncing Dict., Multinodate, or Multinodous, many-knotted . 1979 Proc. Linn. Soc. New S. Wales 102 194 Most often, on multinodate axes and particularly in large inflorescences, reduction in degree of branching does not occur alone . multinodous adj. [ < classical Latin multinōdus ( < multi- multi- comb. form + nōdus knot: see node n.) + -ous suffix] Obs. rare—0 = multinodal adj. 1727 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. II., Multinodous, full of Knots . 1840 B. H. Smart Walker's Crit. Pronouncing Dict., Multinodate, or Multinodous, many-knotted . multinodular adj. Med. characterized by or composed of a number of nodules. 1900 W. A. N. Dorland Illustr. Med. Dict. 399/2 Multinodular, composed of many nodules . 1924 F. de Quervain Goitre 33 The fourth type is represented by the multinodular goitre with large nodules .

In other words, it's one thing to say that the OED is the "best" dictionary to use, but it may be overkill in some instances.

I'm active in some of the SE's English forums; I've found Macmillan and Collins to be reputable, and I would trust them for scholarly work. Miriam-Webster is often regarded as reputable, too, but I tend to avoid their online edition, owing to the number of ads they splash on a screen (my computer often starts running slower as soon as I go to one of their pages).

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How to Write a Definition Essay: Structure, Outline, Samples

Updated 15 Feb 2024

Learn the elements, outline, and logic behind a definition essay. Explore different types of definitions and their functions. Get tips on writing a solid essay, avoiding common mistakes, and crafting a strong thesis statement. Find inspiration and ideas through definition essay example.

So what is a definition essay ? As the name suggests, a definition essay is an essay that explains in detail a certain term or concept. However, instead of being limited to a simple dictionary definition, which normally takes a few phrases, such an essay contains an extended definition that includes additional details, such as examples, descriptions, an analysis of this term and other related ones, etc. Importantly, such essays present your personal opinion about corresponding concepts.

Knowing how to write a definition essay requires a good understanding of the required elements, outline, structure, logic as described below. These essays are important since they require integration of a few interpretations on the same concepts, making clear distinctions and generalizations, providing personal interpretations, etc.

Try to write the best definitive essay with the help of our guide!

The List of Essay Definitions Encountered in Academic Writing

As a rule, before you start with the first paragraph of your definition essay, it is crucial to understand all the different types that will make your writing fit the situation and academic objectives. Therefore, when you have something great for your thesis statement and topic sentences, consider these types of definitions first:

• Analytical . As the title implies, you must use analysis and divide your subject into several parts by approaching each aspect individually. Use one paragraph per idea.
• Classification . It means that you can apply systematization for your definition essay and find similarities or specific factors to classify your issues or processes. 
• Comparison . Just like classification type, you have to find elements that stand out and compare and contrast various things that differ or appear the same. Your thesis must sum up these differences.
• Detailed Method . This is where you must focus on certain characteristics and let your audience focus on details to understand the subject well.
• Negation Approach . It means that writing a definition essay you should use your arguments clearly to prevent your audience from a wrong understanding of a problem. In simple terms, it tells people what your issue is not.
• Origins & Causes . This is where you tell about the origins of your issue or things that have caused some event or changes. Remember to provide background information and the reasons why something is important.
• Scientific Problem . As a rule, it means that you should synthesize available information and explain the ways how something is used or studied by your fellow researchers.

Of course, you can always combine these different essay definition types for the best results, which is acceptable! Remember that it should also contain your thoughts and additions if it is applicable.

If you are looking for interesting exemplification essay examples , EduBirdie has some for you. These examples can provide you with inspiration and ideas on how to effectively use exemplification in your essay, showcasing real-life examples and evidence to support your arguments.

General Definition Essay Structure

Like with other essay types, definition essay format follows the following basic structure:

• Introduction - lists standard explanations and raises important rhetorical questions attempting to interpret them, it may list interesting facts related to the background of these terms (but not only), anecdotes, funny cases, personal experience, etc. Altogether, this helps in hooking attention and providing necessary background that would allow diving deeper into the matter.
• Thesis Statement  – this is not a distinct section but rather, a key element of the introduction. For definitive essay, it should state a generalized and comprehensive personal definition. It should be formulated as an arguable claim that closely summarizes the paper’s essence.
• Main body. All paragraphs should be related to this thesis through topic sentences – normally, this is the first sentence in a paragraph. Subsequent sentences constituting the paragraph explain them, support with arguments, provide evidence and examples, etc. Paragraphs should end up with concluding sentences, which synthesize the content presented within these paragraphs, or with transitioning sentences that help introduce subsequent paragraphs for smoother content flow.
• Conclusion – this is where thesis is restated considering all ideas, arguments, and evidence that has been provided. Apart from synthesizing information, conclusions may suggest related topics for exploration.

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Definition Essay Outline and Its Constitution

When assembling an essay outline, it is useful to consider what type of paragraphs and how many of each should be included and in what order. In terms of meaning, such types of essays have the following sections or paragraphs:

• Denotation – this part provides direct concept explanations, for instance, dictionary or formal interpretations integrated from multiple sources. This section is normally shorter and could be limited to one paragraph. If you are wondering how to start a definition essay, opening your essay by listing formal dictionary explanations would be perfectly acceptable and even fairly standard.
• Connotation – in this part, one describes related ideas or term implications, including from a personal perspective or judgement. A good method for identifying connotations is looking up the word in a thesaurus. The connotation part is typically more voluminous, being spread across multiple paragraphs.

Judged by their specific function, paragraphs can either:

• Describe – provide description of the words in detail; describe perspectives, standard or peculiar interpretations, worldviews, etc.
• Analyze – these paragraphs could dissect complex words or expressions into individual parts and analyze each of these separately, as well as in combination. This could be done, for instance, with terms “self-sufficiency”, (“self” + “sufficiency”) or “gratefulness” (“grate” + ”fulness”). Obviously, such “linguistic” analysis does not apply to simple words like “hate”, “respect”, etc. However, each word may be analyzed for multiple meanings, for instance globalization may be viewed as globalization of culture, of knowledge, commerce, lifestyle, life-quality expectations, etc.
• Exemplify – providing an eloquent and detailed example to accompany complex interpretations or argument increases understanding of it by readers, hence this is mandatory for good writing. Including good analogies has similar effects.
• Compare and contrast. These paragraphs help differentiate discussed words or concepts by strictly defining their boundaries and by highlighting similarities and differences between compared terms.
• Negate . One way of defining concepts is to tell what they are not – this is especially useful for closely related concepts.
• Provide background with regard to history and origin. While this is not practical for common words, it makes sense for neologisms, professional terms, and some other words whose origin is easily tracked (for instance, “democracy”).

Consider definition essay outline and structural requirements along with what types of paragraphs would constitute your essays and what they would be exactly about and you’ll end up with definitive and solid outline.

Tips On How to Write a Definition Essay

Although it may not sound application to writing a definition essay, it must inspire you or motivate you to know your subject because the purpose is to sound confident and clear as you deliver the facts and deliver some important concepts. Here are some tips you must consider before you start writing:

• Start With a List of Sources . Never ignore starting with a list of good references that will help you to support your existing perception of some subject. Remember about citation rules and do not overdo your quoting because it can lead to increased similarity rates and plagiarism risks.
• Proofread & Edit . Always proofread your definition essay to eliminate repetitions and the weak parts that may sound confusing to your reader. Pay attention to possible grammar and spelling issues. By doing so, you can improve your final grade and avoid those minor mistakes. It is also good to proofread your paper aloud to ensure that it sounds right.
• Check The Requires Structure . Even if you may think that you already know it all, it is recommended to check your grading rubric twice in terms of structure and the required paragraphs.
• Research Your Subject . It means that even if you have a good list of sources, you must provide your audience with an unbiased outlook. It will take some time to read through the various sources to determine how the subject is approached by others. Make sure that you check more than one source or dictionary for your definition. Writing a definition essay, doing so will give you a full picture and various semantic meanings.
• Avoid Copying Definitions . Do not copy definitions word-by-word even if you are turning to some dictionary. It is recommended to express your thoughts and paraphrase things to provide a better definition without plagiarism even if it is unintentional.

Common Mistakes That Occur While Writing Interpretations 

Below, we list some usual mistakes made when writing definition essay:

• Choosing topics that are either too narrow or concrete to allow extended definitions, various perspectives or interpretations. Rather than choosing terms like “Cold War”, “TV mass culture” more general and broad definition essay topics should be used, such as “war”, “culture”, “freedom”, “dignity”, “innovation”, etc.
• Selecting topics that are overly broad or that represent little potential for captivating discussion: “work”, “rain”, “sand”. It is generally advisable to choose controversial topics or concepts whose understanding varies significantly among individuals and might even be associated with conflicting positions.
• Failing to research term properly. Knowing how to define a word in an essay exhaustively implies working with dictionaries. Ignoring these results in a serious mistake, since these normally list all known word meanings in various contexts – exploring how concepts change depending on context is an important starting point for writing definition essays. Combining several good dictionaries could be especially powerful – this will help cover the entire semantic space of a given word, guiding further interpretations and description of connotations.
• Quoting overly lengthy formulations exactly as found in dictionaries – this should be avoided since it affects your level of uniqueness and may be treated as plagiarism by many software tools.

If you are keen to avoid mistakes, consider contracting our academic assistance service. Apart from definition essays, our writers are familiar with definition narrative essay, research papers, laboratory reports, coursework, case studies, capstone projects, speeches, how to write an informative essay , and virtually any other type of writing help one can imagine.

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Definition Essay Example for Students

Given that definition essay example  can be much more helpful in familiarizing readers with this type of essay, below we provide such a sample (the thesis is italicized).

Justice Justice is hugely important element for relationships between individuals and virtually for any human group, however small – obviously, this applies to society as a whole. Commonly understood meaning of justice is adherence to fairness and impartiality whenever dealing with other people or when conflicts management, be it in daily life or within the frames of legal system. The Cambridge online dictionary defines justice as "fairness in the way people are dealt with" or "the condition of being morally correct or fair". As a law term, it is "the system of laws in a country by which people are judged and punished". Moreover, here in the US, it also means a "judge in a law court". The Merriam-Webster dictionary adds a few other unique definitions, for instance "the maintenance or administration of what is just" for instance, by justly managing conflicting claims, rewarding, and punishing. Other definitions are "conformity to truth, fact, or reason", "the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action" but also conformity to this principle (righteousness). Thus, apart from being used to designate judges, all formal interpretations of justice, in a way or another, deal with fair treatment, regardless of whether individuals, groups, or state institutions are considered. Hence, this is regarded as the core and fairly universal meaning of the term. Importantly, many dictionaries mention impartiality as an essential component of this treatment. Impartiality ensures that deliverers of justice put fairness principles above their own interests and above interests of any given actor involved in conflicts that are managed. Apart from this, when thinking about justice or justice deliverers, the following concepts are implied:  integrity, honesty, equity, adherence to truth and law, legitimacy. Nevertheless, understanding of justice differs greatly across individuals but also across societies and cultural groups, which ultimately reflects in laws. For instance, principle of “an eye for an eye” practiced under Iran’s sharia law may seem totally weird here, in the US or western world, where we are used with standardized punishments proportional to crime gravity, such as incarceration, monetary fines, property sequestration. A renowned example involved an Iranian man who blinded a woman using acid and who was sentenced in 2008 to the same punishment. Thus, justice is essentially fair, impartial treatment, be it in interpersonal or collective interaction and whether it is reflected in simple actions or in laws. Importantly, this term has to be examined within societal and cultural context, as notions may vary significantly depending on this.

To conclude, definitive essay provides a broad overview of word or phrase meaning across different contexts along with implications, examples, explanations, and interpretation. Depending on the concepts approached, producing such essays are fairly challenging, which is a good reason to consider essay writing service provided by Edubirdie.

With us, you have greater liberty in selecting your preferred writer according to performance statistics. You can also continuously assess project progress by requesting outlines, drafts, writing samples and effectively correct or guide writers in real time. We also implemented an unlimited free revisions policy if order instructions are not met but also a money-back guarantee policy if revisions are unsatisfactory. Despite high quality output, we strive to minimize potential risks for clients, so that they feel maximally safe contracting our services. Considering all these, why not give it a try?

What makes a good definition essay?

A good definition essay will achieve three goals: it will tell your readers about what is being defined; it will present you with clear and basic information; it will turn to facts and good real-life examples that will help people to understand things. After all, it is the purpose of a good definition essay. Remember to make it vivid and accessible.

How to start a definition essay?

You should start with a good introduction to your subject. Make sure that you provide information about why something is important and how or why it is approached by the academic community or professionals in your field. Start with the most common definition that fits your topic and continue with the less common types.

How do you write a thesis statement for a definition essay?

An introduction of a definition essay ends with a thesis that should express personal and generalized definitions or interpretations of the explored concepts. These arguable statements are the focal points of definition essays, which means that papers revolve entirely around these. The thesis needs to be general enough to connect with and cover all paragraph topic sentences.

How do you write a definition term?    

Picking terms for such essays is done by considering how interesting or controversial the topics are, whether they engulf definitions that vary depending on different circumstances or contexts, whether they allow multiple perspectives, views, including conflictual, whether the author is familiar with these terms and provide an interpretation of these, etc.

How do you organize a definition essay?                  

Organizing essays involves considering the traditional structure, according to which there is an introduction, main body, conclusion, but also deciding how many paragraphs should be used for each section and what information should be each paragraph’s function: denotation, connotation, description, analysis, exemplification, comparison, etc.

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Definition of assay

 (Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

intransitive verb

Definition of assay  (Entry 2 of 2)

Did you know?

Usage experts warn against confusing the verbs assay and essay . Some confusion shouldn’t be surprising; not only do the two somewhat uncommon words look and sound alike, they also come from the same root, the Middle French word essai , meaning "test" or "effort." ( Essai , in turn, comes from the Late Latin word exagium , meaning "act of weighing.") At one time, the two terms were synonyms, sharing the meaning "try" or "attempt," but they are now typically differentiated, with essay meaning "to try or attempt" (as in "a comedic actor essaying her first dramatic role") and assay meaning "to test or evaluate" (as in "blood assayed to detect the presence of the antibody"). Of course, essay is more common as a noun referring to a short analytic or personal literary composition, but that’s another essay .

• deconstruct
• anatomizing
• deconstruction

Examples of assay in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'assay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French assai, essai — more at essay entry 1

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Phrases Containing assay

• enzyme - linked immunosorbent assay

Articles Related to assay

To 'Essay' or 'Assay'?

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Dictionary Entries Near assay

assault weapon

Cite this Entry

“Assay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assay. Accessed 18 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of assay.

Kids Definition of assay  (Entry 2 of 2)

Medical Definition

Medical definition of assay.

Medical Definition of assay  (Entry 2 of 2)

More from Merriam-Webster on assay

Nglish: Translation of assay for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of assay for Arabic Speakers

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