4 syllables: de, fi, ni, tion. Stress on ni.
def-uh-NISH-uhn
/ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃən/
definition is pronounced def-uh-NISH-uhn (/ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃən/). It has four syllables (de-fi-ni-tion), with the stress on "ni". Definition is a concise statement that explains the meaning of a word or concept. It typically identifies boundaries, features, or essence, and aims to make interpretation precise for a given context. In everyday use it also signals classification and scope, helping listeners grasp what the term covers. (2-4 sentences, 50-80 words max.).
Definition is a concise statement that explains the meaning of a word or concept. It typically identifies boundaries, features, or essence, and aims to make interpretation precise for a given context. In everyday use it also signals classification and scope, helping listeners grasp what the term covers. (2-4 sentences, 50-80 words max.)
- You often misplace the primary stress to the end (/dɛfɪˈneɪʃən/) or middle; keep /ˌdɛfɪˈnɪʃən/ with primary stress on the third syllable. - The /f/ can be swallowed or softened; ensure a clear /f/ by lightly touching the lower lip with the upper teeth and sustaining a short voiceless fricative before the /ɪ/. - Final /ən/ can reduce to /ən/ or /ən/; practice distinguishing /ʃən/ vs /ən/ to avoid a lilt that shortens the word. - Unstressed vowels tend to reduce toward schwa; you might say /dɪˈfɪnɪʃən/; insist on /dɛfɪˈnɪʃən/ to preserve meaning. - Tongue tension in rapid speech can blur /ˈnɪʃən/; relax jaw slightly and let the /ʃ/ be audible.
"- The definition of success varies from person to person."
"- In her dictionary, the word definition includes etymology and usage notes."
"- The teacher asked for a clear definition of the scientific term."
Pronounce it as /ˌdɛfɪˈnɪʃən/. The primary stress is on the second syllable: def-i-NI-tion. Start with /d/ then /ɛ/ (as in ‘bed’), follow with /f/ and a quick /ɪ/ vowel, then /ˈnɪ/ where /ɪ/ is a short front vowel, and finish with /ʃən/ like ‘shun’ but with a light schwa before the n. Listen for the subtle secondary stress that can appear in careful speech: /ˌdɛfɪˈnɪʃən/.
Two typical errors: 1) dropping the /f/ or distorting it to /v/ and thus sounding like ‘de-vi-nition’; ensure a clear /f/ with upper teeth on lower lip. 2) misplacing the stress, saying def-i-NATION or de-FI-nition. Keep primary stress on the third syllable: /ˌdɛfɪˈnɪʃən/. Practice by isolating the /nɪʃ/ cluster and ensuring the /ʃ/ is clear before /ən/.
US: /ˌdɛfɪˈnɪʃən/ with rhotic /r/ not affecting this word. UK: /ˌdefɪˈnɪʃən/ with a darker /ɜː/ not present here; UK tends to a shorter /ɪ/ and crisper /t/ or none. AU: similar to UK but with a flatter intonation and vowel quality slightly closer to /e/ in some speakers. Across all, the stress remains on the third syllable; the main variance is vowel quality and the realization of /ɪ/ vs /ə/ in the unstressed vowels.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm with a reduced final syllable and the /f/ + /ɪ/ sequence followed by /nɪʃ/; many leak the /ɪ/ into /i:/ or merge /nɪ/ with /ʃən/. Also, the cluster /f/ + /n/ can challenge non-native speakers. Practice the transition between /f/ and /ɪ/ and hold the /ʃ/ clearly before the final schwa /ən/.
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- US: Rhotic and flatter overall; ensure /ɪ/ in the stressed syllable is crisp; keep the second syllable light. - UK: Slightly crisper consonants; final /ən/ can be more centralized, with a shorter /ɪ/ in the second syllable; avoid widening vowels. - AU: More vowel reduction in casual speech; maintain the /ˈnɪʃən/ vowel quality but allow slight lengthening in slow speech. Use IPA: US /ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃən/, UK /ˌdefɪˈnɪʃən/, AU /ˌdɛfɪˈnɪʃən/. Focus on the /f/ + /ɪ/ separation and the /ʃ/ before the final /ən/.
Definition comes from Latin definitio, from definitus, meaning ‘designated, defined’—itself from the verb definere, from de- ‘completely’ + finis ‘end, boundary.’ The term entered English via Latin in the late Middle Ages as scholars formalized the sense of ‘a boundary or clear statement of meaning.’ Early usage aligned with law, logic, and philosophy, where precise definitional statements are essential for argument and classification. Over centuries, definition broadened beyond strict logical or legal contexts to everyday language, dictionary-making, and academic discourse. By the 17th–18th centuries, it became a standard term for “a statement that explains the meaning of a word or concept,” and today it enjoys universal recognition in education, linguistics, and information science as a fundamental unit of meaning. The word’s semantic field has expanded with interdisciplinary work on semantics, ontology, and data schemas, reinforcing the central role of definitions in communication and knowledge organization.
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Words that rhyme with "definition"
-ion sounds
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