Definition Essay

What Is a Definition Essay? How To Structure It?

Essay

A definition essay is one in which you are required to explain the meaning of a certain term by giving a detailed description of it. This definition is supported with clear examples or facts that make it easy for the readers to understand the term being explained and its usage or place. Explanations are needed if a term is special, abstract, disputed, or does not have a common meaning and readers need some assistance in trying to interpret what a term signifies.

According to a cheap essay writing service, the term definition itself is a rhetorical style that uses various techniques to help readers understand the meaning of a specific term, idea, or concept. The definition may be used for an entire essay but it is often used as a rhetorical style within an essay to explain things in a better way.

We use hundreds and thousands of words and terms every day and while many of them are clear to the speakers as well as the listeners, there is a majority of abstract and scientific terms that only people belonging to a certain field can comprehend. A definition essay is structured around the goal of defining or explaining ideas, terms, or concepts in a detailed manner.

Important Things To Note For Writing A Definition Essay:

  • It is necessary to choose a term that you aim to define and introduce it to the readers; it can be defined in several ways but the main goal should be to indicate the contents of the paper clearly and ensure the readers understand what is being said
  • It is best to use several resources; it can be either dictionaries or encyclopedias to see how the specific term is being defined or explained so that you can come up with a way to combine or merge them to come up with your unique definition or explanation
  • It is necessary to present the term you are choosing to define in the introductory part of the essay; the main body or the discussion part is reserved for offering readers additional information about the term
  • Along with your description, you can point out examples where this term has been used and how; you can also add historical information about this term was coined and how it came to be used in literature and if there are any mistakes in the definition

How To Structure A Definition Essay:

The structure of a definition essay will be almost the same as other essays but it might differ according to the topic or the term under discussion. The structure mostly follows the same basic outline.

Introduction:

This is the beginning part where you introduce the topic that you are defining. The right way to start will be with a dictionary definition to make the point clear to the readers and give them an idea of what is the literal meaning

Thesis Definition:

In this part, you are required to provide a more detailed definition; this definition and the following explanation will be based on what you have understood of this term and what your research on this term says

Main Body:

This is the main area of discussion where you have a chance to connect with the readers and tell them about the term, idea, or concept you are discussing in detail. Each paragraph will deal with a different aspect of defining the term. The best thing to go about it is to go back in history and trace the origin or the term and move on to full dictionary definition and usage. Once you have exhausted all areas, you can create your definition based on what you have gathered and present it to the readers to ensure they understand what it is all about.

Conclusion:

This is the last or the closing part of the definition essay where you will draw all the main points together very briefly, without mentioning anything new or starting any new argument. In essay conclusion, you will help readers understand what has taken place in this regard and if required suggest some reading material and close the essay most gracefully without leaving any loose ends.

A definition essay can help to explain the function, structure, or nature of the term under the definition. It is important to note that while you are working on a definition essay, you should not just copy down what has been written in dictionaries and encyclopedias. If you cannot define a new meaning for some concept on your own, use the definition that already exists, but come up with your interpretation.