determinate

Everyday

1. (formal) Determinate means fixed, exact and clearly limited, not vague. tree →
2. (science) A determinate plant, like some tomato plants, grows to a fixed size and then stops. tree →

In the lessons

In maths and science, a determinate quantity has one exact value; a determinate answer can be worked out exactly. In gardening, determinate tomatoes are bushy and ripen together. In law, a determinate sentence is for a fixed time. Opposite: indeterminate.

Examples

• The problem has a determinate answer: 12. tree →
• The prisoner got a determinate sentence of five years. tree →
• Determinate tomato plants stop growing at about one metre. tree →
• The recipe gives a determinate amount of flour. tree →
• The number of people at the party was determinate, so we bought exactly enough cake. tree →
• Some puzzles have more than one answer and are not determinate. tree →

Note

Formal and rare. Pronounced «dih-TER-min-it». Opposite: indeterminate. Do not confuse with determined (a determined person will not give up). In maths, «determinate» means only one exact answer.