delineation

noun

de·​lin·​ea·​tion di-ˌli-nē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce delineation (audio)
dē-
1
: the act of outlining or representing something with lines or words : the act of delineating
the delineation of a scene
… the delineation of the territories allotted to the seven tribes of Israel …Adam Nicholson
2
: something made by delineating
a photographic delineation of low lifeT. S. Eliot
delineative adjective

Examples of delineation in a Sentence

his simple but striking delineations of Dutch landscapes a finely wrought delineation of a young woman's first experience with romantic love
Recent Examples on the Web
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However, the framework creates a clear delineation of when to consider partnership, delivering greater customer value and creating stickiness for the SaaS product, and improving the lifetime value of the customer. Anshul Kumar, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 Indeed, the conditions that produced Cruise — a global monoculture, a healthier Hollywood ecosystem, a stronger delineation between TV and cinema — are unlikely to recur in the streaming era. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 24 May 2025 What constitutes the physical delineations that cause a problem? Tracy J. Wholf may 8, CBS News, 8 May 2025 Despite differences in rank and the delineation of duties, all three Black Hawk crew members bore responsibility for searching the sky for other aircraft and helping to stay clear of them. Kate Kelly, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for delineation

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin dēlīneātiōn-, dēlīneātiō "description," from Latin dēlīneāre "to trace the outline of, delineate" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of delineation was in 1570

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Cite this Entry

“Delineation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delineation. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.

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