unless otherwise defined

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "unless otherwise defined" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in legal or formal documents to indicate that a term or phrase will have a specific meaning unless stated differently elsewhere in the text. Example: "The term 'contract' shall refer to the agreement between the parties unless otherwise defined in this document."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Several biologically relevant solutions were prepared per manufacturer's instructions unless otherwise defined.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Unless otherwise defined herein, bovine albumin (Sigma #A6003) was used.

DMM Disease Models and Mechanisms

Data are expressed as No., unless otherwise defined;* logistic regression; ^ linear regression.

BMC Anesthesiology

It carries a label element, which should be positioned in the center of the parent glyph, unless otherwise defined.

Bioinformatics

Unless otherwise defined, auxological and biochemical data, including intra-twin pair differences are expressed as mean ± SD.

Clinical Epigenetics

Unless otherwise defined, the % Cd removals (on yearly basis) presented in this section were calculated according to the method proposed by Zhao et al. (2003).

Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

All analyses were performed on the full analysis set (FAS) unless otherwise stated – defined as all randomised patients who received ≥1 dose of study drug (tofacitinib or placebo).

Arthritis Research and Therapy

Monthly Costs (unless otherwise specified).

Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation

Unless otherwise noted, we defined significance as a mean log2 fold change of 1 with a false discovery rate (FDR) of <0.5% in a minimum of three arrays.

Plosone

Unless otherwise noted, we defined diseases using diagnoses from inpatient hospitalizations, outpatient visits, and emergency room visits.

BMC Gastroenterology

Unless otherwise specified, we define ({{mathcal {S}}_{i}^{0}}) and ({{mathcal {S}}_{i}^{1}}) as the antenna index subsets, in which the ith bit of each element is 0 and 1, respectively.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "unless otherwise defined", ensure that the alternative definition is clearly stated and easily accessible within the same document or context. This prevents ambiguity and ensures clarity for the reader.

Common error

A common mistake is using "unless otherwise defined" without actually providing the alternative definition later in the text. Always ensure the alternative is explicitly stated to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "unless otherwise defined" functions as a qualifier, setting a condition for how a term or statement should be interpreted. It introduces a contingency where a default meaning applies, except when a different meaning is explicitly provided. This aligns with Ludwig's examples, where the phrase often appears in formal or scientific contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "unless otherwise defined" is a qualifier phrase used to introduce a conditional definition, primarily in formal and scientific writing. It ensures precision by allowing for specific exceptions to a general rule. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and provides examples across diverse sources. Remember to explicitly state any alternative definitions when using this phrase to maintain clarity. Its related phrases, like "unless specified differently", offer subtle variations in emphasis. While common, the phrase requires careful application to prevent ambiguity, particularly by always providing the alternative definition when invoked.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unless specified differently

This alternative focuses on the specification aspect, highlighting that a different specification would change the outcome.

unless indicated otherwise

This alternative highlights the indication aspect, focusing on a different indication changing the outcome.

except when specified differently

This alternative specifies an exception, meaning unless a different specification is explicitly stated, the original condition holds.

save where defined otherwise

This alternative uses "save" to indicate an exception to the general rule established by the primary definition.

except if redefined

This alternative explicitly mentions the possibility of redefining a term, indicating a change from its original meaning.

absent a different definition

This alternative indicates that in the absence of another definition, the original one prevails.

barring alternative definitions

This phrase uses "barring" to denote the exclusion of any alternative definitions from affecting the standard meaning.

but if not otherwise defined

This alternative places emphasis on the condition that the term must not have been previously defined differently for the original definition to apply.

without prejudice to other definitions

This alternative indicates the original definition should not affect or be affected by other possible definitions.

subject to any different definition

This alternative focuses on the fact that the definition is subordinate to any future potential different definition.

FAQs

How can I use "unless otherwise defined" in a sentence?

Use "unless otherwise defined" to indicate that a term or condition has a specific meaning except when explicitly stated differently. For example, "The term 'client' refers to the customer, "unless otherwise defined" in Appendix A".

What does "unless otherwise defined" actually mean?

It means that a standard definition applies, except if a different definition is provided elsewhere. It's a way to establish a default meaning while allowing for specific exceptions or alterations.

Which is better, "unless otherwise defined" or "unless otherwise specified"?

Both are correct, but ""unless otherwise defined"" is more suitable when referring to the meaning of a term, while "unless otherwise specified" is better for conditions or procedures.

What are some alternatives to using "unless otherwise defined"?

Alternatives include "unless specified differently", "unless indicated otherwise", or "except when specified differently", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.