DEFINITION

From Agepedia

DEFINITION (from the Latin definitio) of a thing signifies, in lexicography, a concise account of its essential and characteristic points. A definition should embrace all the essential properties of the object intended to be defined, and not admit any which do not belong to it, which is often extremely difficult, on account of the shades an 1 gradations by which different things are blended. A strictly accurate definition can be given of only a few objects. The most simple things are the least capable of definition, from the difficulty of finding terms more simple and intelligible than the one to be defined. Of course, eveiy large dictionary abounds with definitions which explain nothing, since the thing defined cannot be made clearer by any definition. A good definition must give the mark of the genus (nota generalis seu genus) and of the species (nota speciatis seu differentia specijica); for instance, a bam is a building (nota gen* eralis) for the purpose of preserving com, &c. (nota specialis). A definition may be analytic or synthetic.