喜樂美語

核心畫面

A useful picture: a line has been drawn and it will not be moved again. Whatever was still open — still arguable, still liable to change — is now closed. This is the final form of the thing.

界線畫下去了，而且不會再挪動。原本還可以吵、還可能改的事，到這裡就定案了——這就是最後的版本，後面沒有更好的、也沒有…更多收起界線畫下去了，而且不會再挪動。原本還可以吵、還可能改的事，到這裡就定案了——這就是最後的版本，後面沒有更好的、也沒有更晚的了。這個字跟 define（下定義）同源，而 define 的字根 fīnis 就是「界線、終點」；所以 definitive 骨子裡的意思是「把邊界劃定，事情到此為止」。

From the word’s history

Via Middle French définitif from Latin dēfīnītīvus, from dēfīnīre 'to set bounds to, define', built on fīnis 'boundary, end' — the same root as finish and final. Setting a final boundary is the shared picture.

經中古法文 définitif，來自拉丁文 dēfīnītīvus，動詞 dēfīnīre「劃定範圍、下定義」，字根 fīnis 是「界線、終點」——跟 finish、final 同一個根。「把邊界定下來、到此為止」這個畫面比較像兩個用法共同的底。

Wiktionary (definitive < Middle French définitif < Latin dēfīnītīvus < fīnis) — as given in the payload's attested-origins note

Two branches

定案：不會再改

這一支是核心畫面最直接的樣子：時間上的終點，講的是「這件事已經拍板，之後照這個版本走」。

definitive (final/settled) · adjective · C2

Used about an agreement or statement that is settled and will stay the same from now on.

最終的

權威版本：沒人做得更好

一樣是「到此為止、不會再改」，只是這裡的「不會再改」是別人超越不了，而不是規則上禁止再動；這是把定案的畫面從法律搬到評價上的引申。

definitive (authoritative) · adjective · C2

Used about a book, study, or description that people think is the best of its kind, and that they think nobody can make better.

權威的

原始詞典資料8 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

definitiveadj/dɪˈfɪn.ɪ.tɪv/

  • 1

    explicitly defined

  • 2

    determining finally, conclusive, decisive

    • definitive vote
    • She will have the definitive say in the matter, after consulting her board of directors.
  • 3

    definite, authoritative and complete

    • A strict and definitive truth.
    • Some definitive […] scheme of reconciliation.
  • 4

    limiting; determining

    • a definitive word
  • 5

    hobbieslifestylephilatelygeneral, not issued for commemorative purposes

  • 6

    obsoleteDetermined; resolved.

    • Never crave him. We are definitive.

definitivenoun/dɪˈfɪn.ɪ.tɪv/

  • 1

    grammarhuman-scienceslinguisticsa word, such as a definite article or demonstrative pronoun, that defines or limits something

  • 2

    hobbieslifestylephilatelyan ordinary postage stamp that is part of a series of all denominations or is reprinted as needed to meet demand

資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。