LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
English → Latin

“define” in Latin

The English word define itself goes back to Latin fīnis, through dēfīniō.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

define
To give a logical definition of, definire (to fix the limits, so that the thing may be accurately distinguished from other things): circumscribere (to limit the meaning, so that too much may not be comprehended under it, etc.). (The words are found in this connection and order.) circumscribere et definire: dicere et quasi circumscribere verbis: definitione declarare: constituere, qui sint in aliqua re fines (to limit a moral problem, etc., Cic.): to define the notion of duty, definire, quid sit officium; the general notion of anything, universam et propriam alicujus (rei) vim definire complectique; propriam alicujus rei vim definitione declarare: to define in a few words, brevi circumscribere et definire; definire rem verbis et breviter describere: to define the term man, dicere et quasi circumscribere verbis, quid homo sit (Cic.): it is of great importance how you define the office of a tribune, plurimum interest, quid esse tribunatum putes. Fortitude is correctly defined by the Stoics to be, etc., probe definitur a Stoicis fortitudo, cum eam - esse dicunt, etc. (Cic.): which they define to be, etc., quod sic definiunt, ut (id) velint esse, etc.: the former term is usually defined thus, illud superius sic fere definiri solet: to define the proper limits of friendship, constituere, qui sint in amicitia fines et quasi termini diligendi (Cic.).
To determine the extent of anything with precision, definire: circumscribere: terminare (e.g. fines imperii; regiones, etc.): limitare (very rare; quaestionem, Varr.). Vid: To LIMIT.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for define?
The usual Latin words for “define” are dēfīniō, circumscrībō, cōnstituō; also terminō, līmitō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.