MEANING
1. Clearly expressed, explained, or identified, with boundaries that are easy to distinguish.
2. Determining a unique value or meaning regardless of arbitrary choices or equivalent representations.
Use it for
specifying clear inclusion criteria; distinguishing a precise concept from a vague category; describing an analysis with explicit boundariesDistinguishes clear boundaries from the mathematical requirement that a definition determine a unique meaning. Academic functions: Research / Methodology, Theory / Conceptual Language.
Words that belong together
- well-defined criteria
- well-defined concept
- well-defined boundaries
On the page
The study uses well-defined inclusion criteria so that another researcher can identify the same eligible cases.
A well-defined concept can still be measured poorly if the selected indicators do not fit it.
The operation is well-defined only if two representations of the same object lead to the same result.
The proof checks that the proposed function is well-defined before examining its continuity.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- well-defined
Usage notes
Established compound adjective: well-defined criteria. Often written well defined after a linking verb. Hyphenation variants are one canonical entry. Normally no synthetic comparative. Register: formal. Commonness: moderately common (qualitative editorial estimate, informed by dictionaries/corpus).
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.