Fundamental: Definition

Definition Essays

Examples:

Denotative:

I saw a snake on a hike I went on last week. I think it was a garden snake.

Connotative:

We used to be friends, but eventually she showed herself to be a snake.

Example

Elements of Effective Definition Paragraph

A definition essay defines a word, term, or concept in depth by providing a personal commentary on what the specific subject means.

A. Most physical objects have a definition about which most people agree.

1. Most people will agree on what trees, windows, computers, and pencils are in general.

2. These objects all have specific physical properties that most people can agree on through the use of their physical senses.

B. However, abstract terms, such as love, pain, or patriotism, have different meanings for different individuals since such terms play on people’s feelings more than their physical senses.

C. The definition essay provides a personal, extended definition of such terms by linking or comparing the term to a previous definition and by illustrating how that term should be applied

Courage is not the ability to be brave or to laugh in the face of danger. Courage is not risking your life for justice. Courage is not a person who agrees to fight, but he who can stand up against it. Courage is not something you can define entirely, and therefore can vary between each person. It can be said that a little girl who ventures out on her bike for the first time displays as much courage as a man jumping into a lake to save a drowning woman, knowing he cannot swim. Courage is a state of mind that enables a person to overcome fear, pain, danger or hardship. Although different from one another, all aspects of courage involve taking risks.

-Uses negation to define what courage is NOT

-Two very different examples are given

-Explains their definition of the word

-Gives generalization of the definition

Definition paragraphs are used to define a word you think your audience might not know, a specialized term (jargon), or to pin down a specific connotative definition you plan on focusing on.

4) Provide traditional details about the term. Explain any physical characteristics or traditional thoughts used to describe your term of choice.

- The term "home" is often visualized physically as a house or apartment. In more abstract terms, "home" is traditionally thought to be a warm, cozy, and safe environment. You can include all of these features in a definition essay on "home."

5) Use examples to illustrate the meaning. People often relate to stories and vivid images, so using a fitting story or image that relates to the term can be used in clarifying an abstract, formless concept.

6) Use negation to explain what the term does not mean. If a term is often misused or misunderstood, mentioning what it is not is an effective way to bring the concept into focus.

Definition paragraphs usually include examples to ensure your readers understand.

7) Provide background information. This is when your research about the etymology of a word will come in handy. Explain where the term originated and how it came to mean what it currently means.

3) Choose a word you have some familiarity with. Dictionary definitions can only tell you so much. Since you need to elaborate on the word you choose to define, you will need to have your own base of knowledge or experience with the concept you choose.

Description

4) Read the dictionary definition. While you will not be relying completely on the dictionary definition for your essay, familiarizing yourself with the official definition will allow you compare you own understanding of the concept with the simplest, most academic explanation of it.

Choosing the Right Word

5) Research the word's origins. Look up your chosen word in the Oxford English Dictionary or in another etymology dictionary.

1) Choose an abstract word with a complex meaning. A simple word that refers to a concrete word will not give you much to write about, but a complex word that refers to an abstract concept provides more material to explore.

Definition, or defining, seeks to clarify the essential nature of something.

A formal definition is the dictionary context of the word or concept. [Denotative]

• Victim- a person (genus) who suffers from a destructive or injurious accident (D.D.)

An extended definition defines not only the term but a broader aspect. [Connotative]

• Other meanings/feelings attached to the word
• You want tell your family you were "let go" rather than "fired"--why?

- Typically, nouns that refer to a person, place, or thing are too simple for a definition essay. Nouns that refer to an idea work better, however, as do most adjectives.

2) Make sure that the word is disputable (someone could disagree). Aside from being complex, the word should also refer to something that can mean different things to different people.

- A definition essay is somewhat subjective by nature since it requires you to analyze and define a word from your own perspective. If the answer you come up with after analyzing a word is the same answer anyone else would come up with, your essay may appear to lack depth.

Definition