definitive
1 of 2adjective
de·fin·i·tive di-ˈfi-nə-tiv 
1
: serving to provide a final solution or to end a situation
a definitive victory
could not give a definitive diagnosis
2
: authoritative and apparently exhaustive
a definitive critical biography
3
a
: serving to define or specify precisely
established definitive guidelines for sentencing criminals
b
: serving as a perfect example : quintessential
a definitive bourgeois
A slow race is the definitive Leechfield competition. You win it by coming in last.
Mary Karr
Mary Karr4
biology : fully differentiated or developed
a definitive organ
5
of a postage stamp : issued as a regular stamp for the country or territory in which it is to be used
definitively adverb
definitiveness noun
definitive
2 of 2noun
: a postage stamp issued as a regular stamp for the country or territory in which it is to be used : a definitive (see definitive entry 1 sense 5) postage stamp compare provisional
Did you know?
Something definitive is complete and final. A definitive example is the perfect example. A definitive answer is usually a strong yes or no. A definitive biography contains everything we'll ever need to know about someone. Ella Fitzgerald's famous 1950s recordings of American songs have even been called definitive--but no one ever wanted them to be the last.
Synonyms
Adjective
- authoritative
- classic
- classical
- magisterial
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective We need a definitive answer to this question. The court has issued a definitive ruling. a definitive collection of the band's albums
Recent Examples on the Web Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, 14 Sep. 2022 Mary Kay Cabot has the definitive story on the decision, which the NFL can appeal. Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, 2 Aug. 2022 The animated sci-fi adventure shares the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the hero who inspired the Toy Story action figure character, which was voiced by Tim Allen. Amethyst Tate, PEOPLE.com, 19 July 2022 The animated sci-fi action-adventure is the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Chris Evans), the hero who inspired the toy. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 July 2022 What the definitive story of an individual is is hard to say. Mary Cadden, USA TODAY, 7 July 2022 Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli is The definitive story of how The Godfather was made, and how the film had to deal with the real-life mob during production. Emily Burack, Town & Country, 26 May 2022 The series tells the definitive story of the Malaysian Airlines flight’s disappearance through the eyes of those closest to the tragedy: the victims’ families. Manori Ravindran, Variety, 6 Apr. 2022 This is the definitive story of Hamid Hayat, a man wrongfully convicted of terrorism, sentenced to prison on his 25th birthday, and finally set free after 14 years behind bars. Longreads, 2 Mar. 2022 Stephen Means, cleveland, 3 Sep. 2022 Now, Lauper is taking that iconic line and lending it to Sony Music Entertainment as the title of her forthcoming definitive, career-spanning documentary. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 May 2022 See More
Adjective
Mike Rosenthal doesn’t know if there’s one definitive Charles Wright story. Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, 14 Sep. 2022 Mary Kay Cabot has the definitive story on the decision, which the NFL can appeal. Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, 2 Aug. 2022 The animated sci-fi adventure shares the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the hero who inspired the Toy Story action figure character, which was voiced by Tim Allen. Amethyst Tate, PEOPLE.com, 19 July 2022 The animated sci-fi action-adventure is the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Chris Evans), the hero who inspired the toy. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 July 2022 What the definitive story of an individual is is hard to say. Mary Cadden, USA TODAY, 7 July 2022 Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli is The definitive story of how The Godfather was made, and how the film had to deal with the real-life mob during production. Emily Burack, Town & Country, 26 May 2022 The series tells the definitive story of the Malaysian Airlines flight’s disappearance through the eyes of those closest to the tragedy: the victims’ families. Manori Ravindran, Variety, 6 Apr. 2022 This is the definitive story of Hamid Hayat, a man wrongfully convicted of terrorism, sentenced to prison on his 25th birthday, and finally set free after 14 years behind bars. Longreads, 2 Mar. 2022 Noun
The road toward answering this question with a definitive yes doesn’t end with one game. Stephen Means, cleveland, 3 Sep. 2022 Now, Lauper is taking that iconic line and lending it to Sony Music Entertainment as the title of her forthcoming definitive, career-spanning documentary. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English diffynytif, borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French diffinitif "final, decisive," borrowed from Medieval Latin dēfīnītīvus, diffīnītīvus, going back to Latin dēfīnītīvus "involving definition," from dēfīnītus "limited, clearly defined" (past participle of dēfīnīre "to mark the limits of, determine, define") + -īvus -ive
Noun
derivative of definitive entry 1
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
1951, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing definitive
Medical Definition
definitive
adjective
de·fin·i·tive di-ˈfin-ət-iv
: fully differentiated or developed
a definitive organ
definitiveness
noun
1
as in definiteness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- definiteness
- truth
- determinacy
- correctness
- rightness
- fidelity
- strictness
- accuracy
- subtlety
- exactness
- precision
- exactitude
- preciseness
- definitude
- veracity
- rigor
- accurateness
- rigorousness
- perfection
- fastidiousness
- fineness
- nicety
- meticulousness
- carefulness
- closeness
- delicacy
- ultraprecision
- persnicketiness
- care
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- imprecision
- inaccuracy
- approximation
- roughness
- coarseness
- inexactness
- impreciseness
- roundness
- inexactitude
- wrongness
- vagueness
- falsity
- incorrectness
- indefiniteness
- falseness
- looseness
- carelessness
- guesswork
2
as in validity
Synonyms & Similar Words
- validity
- credibility
- authoritativeness
- believability
- soundness
- influence
- strength
- conclusiveness
- impact
- power
- might
- persuasiveness
- cogency
- sway
- appeal
- effectiveness
- convincingness
- seductiveness
- forcefulness
- weight
- punch
- authority
- persuasion
- suasiveness
- force
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- inconclusiveness
- ineffectiveness
- invalidity
- unsoundness
- ineffectuality
- ineffectualness
- shakiness
- powerlessness
- feebleness
- weakness