A kind of macro in source code that replaces one text string with another wherever it occurs.
"The developer added a define statement to replace every instance of the old configuration path with the new server address throughout the project files."
"The dictionary definition of the word is clear and easy to understand."
Usage: Do not use "define" as a standalone noun to mean a textual explanation; instead, use the singular "definition" or plural "definitions." The word "define" is strictly a verb meaning to state the exact meaning of something or to establish limits.
determine the essential quality of
"She struggled to define the essential quality that made her friend's art so unique, as it seemed to come from a place she couldn't quite articulate."
To determine with precision; to mark out with distinctness; to ascertain or exhibit clearly.
"The surveyor used a laser level to define the property line before breaking ground on the new warehouse."
In plain English: To define something means to explain exactly what it is and what it means.
"The teacher asked students to define each new vocabulary word in their own words."
Usage: Use "define" to describe the act of giving a precise meaning to a term or setting clear boundaries for something. It is correct when you need to establish exactly what constitutes a specific concept or limit its scope.
The word "define" entered English from the Middle English definen and Old French definir, both derived from the Latin dēfīniō. Originally meaning to set a limit or establish a boundary, it evolved into its current sense of stating the exact nature or scope of something.