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de·ter·mi·na·tion (dĭ-tûr′mə-nāshən)
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n.
1.
a. Firmness of purpose; resolve: approached the task with determination.
b. A fixed intention or resolution: returned to school with a determination to finish.
2.
a. The ascertaining or fixing of the quantity, quality, position, or character of something: a determination of the ship's longitude; a determination of the universe's mass.
b. The result of such ascertaining.
3.
a. The act of making or arriving at a decision: After long determination, she decided to move to Utah.
b. The decision reached: It is my determination to sell the house. See Synonyms at decision.
4.
a. The settling of a question or case by an authoritative decision or pronouncement, especially by a judicial body: The choice of a foster home was left to the determination of the court.
b. The decision or pronouncement made.
5. The bringing about of a result or outcome: the determination of hair color by the genes.
6. Archaic A fixed movement or tendency toward an object or end.
7. Logic
a. The defining of a concept through its constituent elements.
b. The qualification of a concept or proposition to render it more definite or specific.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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