Which to use
“definition” is a noun and “definitive” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #2,574
- “definition” frequency rank
- #9,595
- “definitive” frequency rank
- 12169
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | definition | definitive |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A statement of the meaning of a word, word group, sign, or symbol; especially, a dictionary definition. | explicitly defined |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set definition and definitive apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: definition is /ˌdɛf.ɪˈnɪʃ.ən/ while definitive is /dɪˈfɪn.ɪ.tɪv/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 12169, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
definition is recorded at frequency rank #2,574, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˌdɛf.ɪˈnɪʃ.ən/. definitive is at rank #9,595, tagged as anadj, pronounced /dɪˈfɪn.ɪ.tɪv/.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 12169, this pair ranks #483,084 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of definition vs definitive
Shared letters: defint. Private to "definition": o. Private to "definitive": v.
"definition" · 10 letters · shape CVCVCVCVVC · "definitive" · 10 letters · shape CVCVCVCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- definition ← ddefinition · deffinition · defiintion · definiiton · definision · definitino · definitionn · definitoin
- definitive ← ddefinitive · deffinitive · defiintive · definiitve · definitiev · definitivve · definittive · definitvie
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "definition" and "definitive" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "definition" or "definitive"?
Remembering definition vs definitive
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “definition”; for an adjective, it's “definitive”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “definition” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable