Writing Definitions

“Words are products, not of nature, but of a human society which uses them for a thousand different purposes,” explains poet and critic W. H. Auden; he adds that all “words have meaning which can be looked up in a dictionary [thus testifying] to the existence of other people” (“Writing,” The Dyer’s Hand 23). Our words are shared terms which, despite multiple purposes, have distinct meanings. Yet because we have different varieties and sizes of vocabularies, we may need to define terms for others who don’t share our understanding.

During a conversation, we can convey a particular meaning with both explanation and gesture. When writing, however, we convey meaning with a definition to clarify a concept or to present the term’s essential nature. Sometimes, we partially define a term by negation (saying what it is not): Granite is not a sedimentary rock. We may also define a term by similarity (noting what it is like): Ping pong is a racket sport like lawn tennis. We may define a term by enumeration (listing its characteristics): Astronomy is the study of planets, stars, galaxies, and the universe. Or we may define a term by etymology (providing the origin and development): Geek originates from the Old English geck, an early derivative for goose which we regard as silly. When using any of these techniques, we are explaining the meaning of our term.

In the university setting, we encounter additional purposes and techniques. When writing definitions in psychology, sociology, music appreciation, biology, history, English, kinesiology, recreation, and finance classes--all academic disciplines--we assess our writing situation. In other words, the context of the assignment will determine purpose and technique.

1. Sometimes, we write definitions in response to short-answer test questions. Usually one sentence, these brief formal definitions approximate dictionary definitions but come from our memories.

a. Psychology test question--Define projection.

Projection is a defense mechanism; when people cannot accept their flaws, they attribute these flaws to others.

b. Music appreciation question--Define the Wagnerian leitmotiv.

Wagner’s leitmotiv is a leading melodic theme through the use of which the orchestra tells the story of a person, thing, or idea in the drama to develop shades of meaning.

From these examples, we notice a pattern emerging; this is the pattern for the FORMAL DEFINITION: there is the TERM (projection for Wagner’s leitmotiv); there is the CLASS (defense mechanism or motive); and there is the DIFFERENTIATION (the conclusion of the definition to differentiate it from the other terms in the same class). We have no need to provide background information in this context since our purpose has been only to prove to the teacher that we know the term’s meaning.

2. Occasionally, we will need to write a paragraph-length definition, especially if the test question requires an explanation or if an essay introduction requires the use of a word in a special way.

a. Meteorology test question--Explain the adiabatic lapse rate.

Adiabatic lapse rate is the rate of decreasing temperature with height in an air column. The temperature rate decrease varies with pressure and air saturation density. So rising warm, saturated air will cool and become more dense as it moves into the upper atmosphere; moving farther away from the earth and closer to the sun, however, it will eventually increase in temperature and become less dense. But if another cold air mass confronts this expanded warm air mass, a thunderstorm may result because of the sudden alteration of the lapse rate.

The topic sentence of this paragraph is the FORMAL DEFINITION: TERM is adiabatic lapse rate; CLASS is the rate of decreasing temperature; DIFFERENTIA are pressure with height and air column. The remainder of this paragraph is a process description which clarifies the causes of the adiabatic lapse rate, and it concludes with a possible result.

b. Composition essay question--Discuss composition related to rhetorical strategies. (For the introduction to this essay, we may want to define composition, a key term. Afterwards, we can provide the thesis statement.)

All composition is the combination of parts and elements which result in a product. Yet the term composition has distinct meanings for various fields of study. For instance, in geology, the composition of a particular rock is the combination of its materials and its process of formation. In music, composition involves notation combined with rhythm, accent, and volume. Composition in art involves arrangement of line, symmetry, and color. But in rhetoric, composition is written communication with attention both to development for clear support of an idea and to style for emphasis.

Following the FORMAL DEFINITION of composition, a statement indicates that the TERM has several SUB-CLASSES, each with its own characteristics ENUMERATED for DIFFERENTIATION. The clincher sentence states formally the specific sub-definition for the field of rhetoric.

For essay length responses, we will need to write extended definitions. Unfortunately, there is no one magical formula for this task because, again, we must assess the writing context, our purpose, and our audience. Yet we can call upon rhetorical strategies that we have learned for writing these definitions.

a. NARRATIVE

Topic--Define a modern day hero.

Strategy--Tell the story of a contemporary hero with attention to what he did that was heroic.

b. EXEMPLIFICATION

Topic--What characteristics should an effective politician possess?

Strategy--Select concrete examples of effective politicians.

c. DESCRIPTION

Topic--What is the common head cold?

Strategy--Discuss this illness as a viral infection, its symptoms, and , possibly, its effective treatment.

d. PROCESS

Topic--Define the writing process.

Strategy--Identify each stage in the process with an explanation of how it contributes to the whole product.

e. CLASSIFICATION AND DIVISION

Topic--Discuss the phenomenon of pop culture.

Strategy--Identify sub-classes, such as music, fashion, and video games, with descriptions of members, with discussion of evolution, or with interrelations among the sub-classes.

Usually, though not always, in paragraph and essay-length definitions, we will include somewhere--most often in the introduction or conclusion--a rough formal definition of the term.

Here are a couple of caveats about writing definitions--that is, a couple of warnings from the Latin for to beware. (We also have an example of another mode of definition which provides a courtesy to the reader, the explanation of a perhaps unfamiliar word with a SYNONYM, DERIVATION, or short FORMAL DEFINITION in an APPOSITIVE, SUBORDINATE CLAUSE, or PHRASE):

We do not sit with the dictionary in front of us and write the following: “According to Webster’s dictionary, altruism is ‘the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others (opposed to egoism). ‘” Because this strategy requires no thinking, our audience may dismiss our message; the audience is also capable of looking in the dictionary. Besides, the phrases “According to Webster’s dictionary” and “Webster says” are trite (overused, worn out). We can, however, close the dictionary and, using the previous strategies, state the meaning in our own words.
We should not generalize throughout an essay by repeating abstract terms within the definition: “Altruism is being unselfishly concerned for others. My friend Grace is always unselfish when showing concern for others. One should be devoted to the well being of others; on should not be an egoist.” Again, our audience may be tempted to dismiss our message because it conveys little other than the term itself. We want to be specific with meaning. We can give examples or categories or other details.

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This page last updated on 07/19/2004