[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/defining.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / defining

[← D](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/D/)

# defining

«defining» in Mova's school dictionary: **Most important in showing what someone or something is…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

adjective (defining); also the -ing form of the verb define (define, defines, defined, defining)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Most important in showing what someone or something is really like: «a defining moment». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defining/#m1)

2) (verb) Giving the exact meaning of a word, or setting out the limits of something. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defining/#m2)

3) (grammar) A «defining relative clause» gives information that tells you exactly which person or thing is meant. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defining/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In stories a «defining moment» is the event that changes a character for ever. In English lessons, «defining» clauses use «who», «which» or «that» without commas: «The girl who won the race is my sister.» In maths and science, «defining» a word gives its exact meaning, such as defining a prime number. Phrases: «a defining moment», «a defining feature», «defining characteristic».

### examples

- Winning the final was a defining moment for the team. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defining/#x1)
- A defining feature of a triangle is that it has three sides. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defining/#x2)
- We are defining the new words in our vocabulary books. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defining/#x3)
- Kindness is her defining quality. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defining/#x4)
- Defining what a «fair» game means helped end the argument. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defining/#x5)
- In the sentence «The book that I read was long», «that I read» is a defining clause. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defining/#x6)

### note

The verb is «define»; the noun is «definition». «Definitive» is a different word meaning final or best. Defining clauses take no commas; non-defining ones need commas.

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «defining» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defining/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.