Dictionary

redefine en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From re- + define.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To define again or differently.
   • But only if one forgets that Mr. Tester is 50 years old, he’s seasoned in state politics, he ran a canny, gloves-off campaign, and he’s the kind of charismatic, hard-to-peg, Western neopopulist (like his friend, Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana) who might be, even now, redefining in certain far-reaching ways what it means to be a Democrat. 2007 January 7, Deirdre Mcnamer, “They Came From Montana”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 26 Jan 2021:
   • Scientists and policy makers from around 60 nations voted unanimously Friday to redefine the kilogram. […] Friday’s vote has permanently redefined the kilogram and sent Le Grand K into retirement. 2018 November 13, Matthew Robinson and Lianne Kolirin, “The world has just redefined the kilogram”, in CNN:
2. (transitive) To define again or differently. ▸ To give a new or different definition to (a word).
3. (transitive) To define again or differently. ▸ To define a previously defined area of storage etc. in a different manner, e.g. changing it from textual to numeric.
   • Next the "key redefiner" software came along. These were special programs that could "redefine" the keys on your keyboard , while still permitting you the normal use of the keys. 1992, Herman Holtz, Databased Marketing, page 170:

Forms

Deriveds

redefinition · redefinable · unredefined · redefiner

Translations (14)

fi määritellä uudelleen (to define an area of storage, that has already been defined, in a different manner) · ru переопределя́ть (to give a new or different definition to a word) · el επαναπροσδιορίζω (to give a new or different definition to a word) · ro redefini (to give a new or different definition to a word) · ca redefinir (to give a new or different definition to a word) · pl przedefiniować (to give a new or different definition to a word) · pl przedefiniowywać (to give a new or different definition to a word) · mi tautuhi anō (to define an area of storage, that has already been defined, in a different manner) · fi määritellä uudelleen (to give a new or different definition to a word) · fr redéfinir (to give a new or different definition to a word) · it ridefinire (to give a new or different definition to a word) · cmn 重新定義 /重新定义 (to give a new or different definition to a word) · cs předefinovat (to give a new or different definition to a word) · ru переопредели́ть (to give a new or different definition to a word)