Defined Quote by Toni Morrison

Definitions belong to the definers, not the defined.

— Toni Morrison

A definition is nothing else but an explication of the meaning of a word, by words whose meaning is already known. Hence it is…

— Thomas Reid

“Definitions only belong to those who need them.”

— Darnell Lamont Walker

The word 'definition' has come to have a dangerously reassuring sound, owing no doubt to its frequent occurrence in logical and mathematical writings.

— Willard Van Orman Quine

Odd that we think definitions are definitive.

— Larry Wall

We want to do something and a definition is a means of doing it. If we want certain results then we must use certain…

— I. A. Richards

“Definitions create conditions.”

— Alfred Korzybski

What should we gain by a definition, as it can only lead us to other undefined terms?

— Ludwig Wittgenstein

Definitions… are never really needed, and rarely of any use

— Karl Popper

A definition may be very exact, and yet go but a very little way towards informing us of the nature of the thing defined.

— Edmund Burke

Definitions are temporary verbalizations of concepts, and concepts- particularly difficult concepts- are usually revised repeatedly as our knowledge and understanding grows.

— Ernst Mayr

To define an expression is, paradoxically speaking, to explain how to get along without it. To define is to eliminate.

— Willard Van Orman Quine