determiner

noun

de·​ter·​min·​er di-ˈtər-mə-nər How to pronounce determiner (audio)
: one that determines: such as
a
: gene
b
: a word (such as an article, possessive, demonstrative, or quantifier) that makes specific the denotation of a noun phrase

Examples of determiner in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But in his view, the icons are more a reflection of people’s cultural values and online conversations than a determiner of them. Lauren Leffer, Scientific American, 2 Jan. 2024 So what do these three major determiners of your astrological personality say about you? Brittany Beringer, Women's Health, 12 Aug. 2023 The price of crude oil is a determiner for prices at the pump. Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2022 Nationalism has been a consistent determiner of the country’s foreign policy. Guney Yildiz, Forbes, 5 May 2023 This is the main category determiner. Maggie Slepian, Popular Mechanics, 29 June 2022 Storage capacity may seem like the most critical determiner, but finding the ideal cloud platform for your needs means also looking at the service’s security, pricing, available features, and more. Dallas News, 28 Oct. 2022 From digestion-minded intermittent fasting to gut health as a determiner of youthful skin, digestive health and function have taken center stage in the wellness conversation. Rebecca Suhrawardi, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 In any case, the general popular opinion is that a nation-state is going to be the crucial determiner of attaining AGI. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 15 Aug. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'determiner.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of determiner was circa 1530

Dictionary Entries Near determiner

Cite this Entry

“Determiner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/determiner. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

determiner

noun
de·​ter·​min·​er di-ˈtər-mə-nər How to pronounce determiner (audio)
: a word belonging to a group of noun modifiers that can occur before descriptive adjectives modifying the same noun
"the" in "the red house" is a determiner

Medical Definition

determiner

noun
de·​ter·​min·​er -ˈtərm-(ə-)nər How to pronounce determiner (audio)
: gene
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