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definitive

/dɪˈfɪn.ə.tɪv/adjective, noun

definitive is spelled D-E-F-I-N-I-T-I-V-E: 10 letters and 4 syllables. It appears 6.3 times per million words in written English, the 9,594th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, definitive means “Explicitly defined” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in definitive?

Letters10: D-E-F-I-N-I-T-I-V-E
Syllables4 (from its American pronunciation)
In writing6.3 times per million words; the 9,594th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is definitive?

Definitive appears 6.3 times per million words in written English, the 9,594th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce definitive?

  • UK /dɪˈfɪn.ɪ.tɪv/
  • US /dɪˈfɪn.ə.tɪv/
  • US [dɪˈfɪn.ə.ɾɪv]

Definitive has 4 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-definitive.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of definitive

  • more definitive comparative
  • most definitive superlative
  • definitives plural

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does definitive mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

adjective

  1. 1

    Explicitly defined.

  2. 2

    Determining finally, conclusive, decisive.

    definitive vote

  3. 3

    Definite, authoritative and complete.

  4. 4

    Limiting; determining.

    a definitive word

  5. 5

    General, not issued for commemorative purposes.

  6. 6

    obsoleteDetermined; resolved.

noun

  1. 1

    a word, such as a definite article or demonstrative pronoun, that defines or limits something

  2. 2

    an ordinary postage stamp that is part of a series of all denominations or is reprinted as needed to meet demand

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Definitive in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Germandefinitiv (explicitly defined), endgültig (conclusive or decisive), maßgebend, maßgeglich (definite, authoritative and complete), entscheidend (limiting; determining), Dauermarke (philately: ordinary postage stamp)
Spanishdefinitivo (explicitly defined), decisivo (conclusive or decisive), autorizado, oficial (definite, authoritative and complete)
Frenchdéfinitif, définitive (conclusive or decisive), timbre d'usage courant (philately: ordinary postage stamp)
Portuguesedefinitivo (conclusive or decisive)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does definitive come from?

From Middle French définitif.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

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