Definition: a good example

In previous posts, I have discussed using definitions to help our readers understand what we write. Here’s an example of how to write a definition.

Example

From “The Silence of Institutions,” a column by Butler Shaffer (pictured), a teacher and author:

“In short, an ‘institution’ is a system that has become its own reason for being, with people becoming fungible resources to be exploited for the accomplishment of collective ends.”

Mr. Shaffer’s definition fits the classical form of a lexical definition (source: Britannica Concise Encyclopedia). The form includes:

(1) the name of the thing to be defined [“institution”];

(2) the verb to be, stated or implied [“is”];

(3) a category the reader will recognize [“system”]; and

(4) one or more modifiers [“that has become its own reason for being, with people becoming fungible resources to be exploited for the accomplishment of collective ends”] that distinguish the thing being defined from other things in the same category [e.g., a railroad].

The Takeaway: When you owe your readers a definition (either because you have promised one, or because your readers will need one in order to understand your point), write and deliver a clear definition, or cite a dictionary definition.

See disclaimer.