defined terms

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "defined terms" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it in legal, academic, or technical contexts where specific terms are explained or clarified. For example, "In this document, all defined terms will be capitalized." Alternative expressions include "specified terms" and "designated terms."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

Later measures of Reventlow led to clearly defined terms of peasant service on the large estates.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In defined terms of Premier League points and positions, Liverpool continued a downward trajectory last season after luring one of the biggest managerial names out of his sabbatical.

The Guardian - Sport

In case there's any doubts about his homophobia, he then goes on to spell it out in handy, dictionary defined terms: "I'm afraid of gay people".

The Guardian - Film

Judge Ronald Whyte of Federal District Court in San Jose, Calif., issued a ruling late Monday that defined terms of the disputed patents in favor of both companies, according to the decision posted on the Rambus Web site.

The New York Times

He defined terms, drew diagrams, seemed to be living in a state of emergency, planted in the office most days for ten to twelve hours, or rushing to airports, or preparing for conferences.

The New Yorker

The defined terms in the court's order are appropriately grounded in the theory of liability and the treatment of middleware platform threats during the liability phase, while simultaneously prescient in that they are not confined to technology which exists today.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

6 human-written examples

The Gene Ontology comprises a set of well-defined terms with well-defined relationships.

BMC Genomics

Women need to find ways to create their own authentic sexuality, outside of male-defined terms like slut.

The Guardian - Opinion

External body forces and also contains user-defined terms.

International Journal of Coal Science & Technology

Such 'taxonomic incommensurability' results in translation failure between local subsets of inter-defined terms due to the cross-classification of objects into mutually exclusive taxonomies.

SEP

These two perspective – one from the buyer side and one from the seller side lead to an interesting situation – IT doesn't know what it needs beyond some ill-defined terms and acronyms.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

If you are writing a contract, capitalize "Defined Terms" when referring to them as a collective group or when they are used within the body of the text to trigger their specific meanings.

Common error

A common mistake is assuming that "defined terms" carry their standard dictionary definitions in every context. In technical or legal documents, a defined term may have a highly specific, narrowed, or even contrary meaning compared to its everyday usage. Always consult the specific definitions provided in the text.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "defined terms" functions primarily as a noun phrase composed of a past participle adjective ("defined") and a plural noun ("terms"). In the examples provided by Ludwig, it frequently acts as the direct object of a verb (e.g., "He defined terms") or follows a preposition (e.g., "according to defined terms"). It serves to label a specific set of vocabulary that has been explicitly explained within a given discourse.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

15%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "defined terms" is a cornerstone of precise communication in English. As demonstrated by Ludwig AI, it is most frequently encountered in scientific research (such as Gene Ontology), legal rulings, and academic philosophy where the exact boundaries of a word's meaning can change the outcome of an argument or a legal case. The usage is overwhelmingly formal, signaling to the reader that the vocabulary used is not casual but rather strictly regulated by the surrounding text. Whether used in a contract or a biological database, "defined terms" ensures that all parties are operating under the same semantic assumptions, making it an essential tool for high-stakes writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

specified terms

Focuses on the act of mentioning specifically rather than provide a dictionary definition.

stipulated terms

Stronger emphasis on legal or contractual requirements and agreement.

designated terms

Implies a specific name or role has been assigned to the terms.

prescribed terms

Suggests that the use or meaning of the terms is mandatory.

technical terminology

Highlights that the terms belong to a specialized field or discipline.

explicitly defined words

More descriptive and emphasizes the clarity of the definition itself.

glossary items

Refers specifically to terms found in a reference list or glossary.

defined conditions

Shifts focus from the vocabulary to the situational requirements.

identified terms

Focuses on the process of picking out or naming the terms in a text.

outlined terms

Suggests a broader description or summary of meanings rather than a strict definition.

FAQs

How to use "defined terms" in a sentence?

You can use "defined terms" to refer to words that have been given specific meanings, such as in "The contract contains several <a href="/s/defined+terms" target="_blank" rel="alternative">defined terms that clarify the responsibilities of both parties."

What can I say instead of "defined terms"?

Depending on your context, you might use "<a href="/s/specified+terms" target="_blank" rel="alternative">specified terms", "<a href="/s/stipulated+terms" target="_blank" rel="alternative">stipulated terms", or "<a href="/s/glossary+terms" target="_blank" rel="alternative">glossary terms".

Which is correct, "defined terms" or "well-defined terms"?

Both are correct, but they serve different purposes. "<a href="/s/well-defined+terms" target="_blank" rel="alternative">well-defined terms" is an evaluative phrase meaning the terms are clear and precise, while "defined terms" is more neutral, simply stating that a definition has been provided.

Should "defined terms" be capitalized in a sentence?

In general writing, it is not capitalized. However, in legal agreements, "Defined Terms" is often capitalized when it refers to a specific section of the document that lists all word meanings.