definitivede‧fin‧i‧tive /dɪˈfɪnətɪv/ ●○○ AWL adjective 
the definitive study of Victorian railway stations2a definitive agreement, statement etc is one that will not be changed: a definitive agreement to buy the company—definitively adverb
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Griffin is the author of the definitive travel guide 'France at Your Fingertips'.
- Many people regard it as the definitive interpretation of 'War and Peace'.
- She has written the definitive book on the poet Wordsworth.
- This may be the definitive book on the Scarlatti trial.
- A definitive set of grammatical tags does not exist.
- He added that many market watchers had been hoping for some type of agreement or definitive news yesterday.
- His books may not be the most definitive works on the phenomenon they describe.
- However, definitive decisions about such measures must rest with medically qualified personnel.
- However, the design can be a useful, if not a definitive, indicator of a rug's origins.
- None can provide a definitive answer to the question of whom resources should be spent on.
- Suppose, for sake of argument, that this is indeed the definitive legal position.
- The definitive movie on these two men whose courage reshaped a nation remains to be made.
Longman Language Activatorbetter than all others
better than anything or anyone else: · The best ice cream in the world is made in Italy.· What's the best way to cook sweet potatoes?by far the best/easily the best (=much better than any others): · It was by far the best vacation I've ever had.somebody's best: · I've read most of his books, but 'Mosquito Coast' is easily his best.
the best and most important that there has ever been: · New Yorkers think they live in the greatest city on earth.· Picasso is generally regarded as the greatest artist of the 20th century.· Gorbachev's greatest achievement was ending the Cold War.
the best and highest quality, or the best and most skilful: · Hemingway was the finest American writer of his generation.· The Silver Pavilion is one of the finest examples of Japanese architecture.· Many people regard Beethoven's Fifth Symphony as his finest work.· The gallery's collection of early Impressionist paintings is one of the world's finest.
the best and most suitable: · The ideal candidate will have a degree and at least two years' experience.· I'm afraid the accommodation here is far from ideal.ideal for: · The conditions are ideal for a day's skiing.ideal for doing something: · The town makes an ideal base for exploring the surrounding countryside.
the most skilful, most successful, and most famous: · He is definitely one of the world's top golfers.· The prize is to have your hair done at a top New York salon.
the person who is most successful in their company or in the type of work that they do: · For three years, he was the company's number one salesman.· Sweden's number one model has married American actor Tommy Haines.
: the place/shop/person/authority etc use this to say that something is the best one of its kind. Pronounce it as 'thee' instead of 'thuh': · Manhattan's East Village is the place for exciting nightlife.· Our guest speaker today is the authority on Chinese politics.
the ultimate person or thing is the very best of their type that there has ever been, and it is hard to believe that anything could ever be better: · Monroe was the ultimate Hollywood movie star.· For many people, the Rolling Stones will always be the world's ultimate rock and roll band.the ultimate in: · Our first-class passengers enjoy the ultimate in luxury and service.
the best that can be achieved or the best for a particular purpose - used especially in scientific contexts: · The optimum temperature for producing steel is around 1200C.
the definitive description, study etc is considered to be the best and cannot be improved - use this about a book or piece of work that is the best of its kind: · Griffin is the author of the definitive travel guide 'France at Your Fingertips'.· This may be the definitive book on the Scarlatti trial.· Many people regard it as the definitive interpretation of 'War and Peace'.
formal if something is unsurpassed , nothing else has ever been better - use this about qualities or achievements: · His genius as a dramatist is unsurpassed.· Venice is a city of unsurpassed beauty.
: a record-breaking result, temperature, time etc is the highest, largest, fastest etc that has ever been achieved: · A record-breaking five hundred thousand people attended the festival. · Record-breaking temperatures are being forecast for the weekend.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY the definitive study of Victorian railway stationsCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
1[usually before noun] a definitive book, description etc is considered to be the best and cannot be improveddefinitive study/work/guide etc the definitive study of Victorian railway stations· We finally agreed on an experiment we would both regard as definitive.
· From a letter of credit standpoint, however, the receipt message can also play a more definitive role.· A more definitive test involved measuring their energies.· Tomorrow's consumer price index for December may provide more definitive clues to the Fed's interest rate strategy.· He'd need to push the lab for a more definitive result.
NOUN· Now a definitive agreement has been signed, with each founding partner taking an equal stake in the new venture.· A definitive agreement for shareholders to approve could come by Feb. 22 when Trafalgar House holds its annual meeting.
· While definitive answers may not yet be possible, recent court hearings and interviews with Lee's colleagues have provided new information.· To ask for definitive answers to such grandiose questions would, of course, be a tall order.· Clearly, this study can not provide a definitive answer.· No one can provide definitive answers to these questions.· None can provide a definitive answer to the question of whom resources should be spent on.· This fundamental question does not yet have a definitive answer.· Clearly we can not as yet give a definitive answer to this question.
· Halliwell's Film Guide the definitive guide to the movies. 4.
· I would stress that there is no definitive statement on the timescale.· The opposition were loyally supporting the Government, but were also pressing for a definitive statement.
· A later and quite definitive study conducted by Miller between 1973 and 1978 bore this out.
· The Black Book Of Communism is not a definitive work.· His books may not be the most definitive works on the phenomenon they describe.· This is not the definitive work of television.· This became the definitive work of the period.· Because it will be my definitive work.
the definitive study of Victorian railway stations2a definitive agreement, statement etc is one that will not be changed: a definitive agreement to buy the company—definitively adverb