Meanings
- According to, or as a matter of, definition.
This property holds for all polygons; and since, by definition, all triangles are polygons, it holds for all triangles.
Synonyms: basically, deep down, essentially
- Necessarily; always; certainly.
Almost by definition, a conversation requires both parties to accept each other's viewpoints to some extent.
1 more example
Two minutes later, the Aston Villa man delivered. It was hardly the sweetest strike, but nobody cared. It wasn't particularly pretty, not that it mattered. It only found its way into the Haiti net by way of a double deflection but that was completely irrelevant. It was a Scottish goal in their first World Cup in a generation. By definition, it was a thing of absolute beauty. The winner. Scotland's total of victories at the finals rises from four to five. These things are rare.
2026 June 14, Tom English, “Why Haiti v Scotland was antidote to the ills of world football”, in BBC SportSynonyms: inevitably, inexorably, unavoidably
Synonyms & antonyms
prepositional phraseAccording to, or as a matter of, definition.
prepositional phraseNecessarily; always; certainly.
Translations
Dutch per definitie
- per definitieTranslations
Finnish määritelmällisesti
- määritelmällisestiTranslations
French par définition
- par définitionTranslations
German per definitionem
- per definitionemTranslations
Latin per definitionem
- per definitionemTranslations
Polish z definicji, z założenia
- z definicjiTranslations
- z założeniaTranslations
Cite this entry
by definition. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/by%20definition
“by definition.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/by%20definition. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “by definition,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/by%20definition.
Source: by definition on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.