sharply-defined
|sharp-ly-de-fined|
🇺🇸
/ˈʃɑːrpli dɪˈfaɪnd/
🇬🇧
/ˈʃɑːpli dɪˈfaɪnd/
clear and distinct boundaries
Etymology
'sharply-defined' is formed from the adverb 'sharply' and the past participle 'defined' from the verb 'define.' 'Sharply' comes from 'sharp,' meaning 'having an edge or point,' and 'define' comes from Latin 'definire,' meaning 'to set bounds or limits.'
'Sharply-defined' is a modern English compound, combining 'sharply' and 'defined' to describe something with clear boundaries or distinctions.
Initially, 'define' meant 'to set limits or boundaries,' and 'sharply' meant 'in a sharp manner.' Together, 'sharply-defined' evolved to mean 'having clear and distinct boundaries or features.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having clear and distinct edges or boundaries; easy to see or understand because of clear definition.
The mountain had a sharply-defined silhouette against the sky.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/04 08:34