by definition
"by-definition" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“by definition” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a prep_phrase. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 13
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - According to, or as a matter of, definition.
Corpus desk
Index EN-by-definition · by definition · English
by definition · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-MEGA 13 letters
- VOW-6 6 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "B" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | by definition |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Prep_phrase |
| Letters | 13 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “by definition” in English
Rare enough to double-check
by definition is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as aprep_phrase. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
No misspelling variants are generated for by definition in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct English form is by definition, spelled B-Y- -D-E-F-I-N-I-T-I-O-N.
Definition
- 1According to, or as a matter of, definition.
- 2Necessarily; always; certainly.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how by definition appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
This property holds for all polygons; and since, by definition, all triangles are polygons, it holds for all triangles.
Almost by definition, a conversation requires both parties to accept each other's viewpoints to some extent.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.