definitive description

English

Examples
"the tallest building in the world" "the current president of the United States" "the smallest prime number"

Noun

definitive description (plural definitive descriptions)

1. (logic, philosophy) A phrase that designates an object by providing a description that is satisfied by exactly one object.
   • 1905, Bertrand Russell, On Denoting, volume 14, page 481:

     A definitive description is a phrase of the form 'the so-and-so' which denotes a particular object in virtue of the fact that there is exactly one object satisfying the description.

Usage notes

In Russell's theory of descriptions, a definitive description (also called a definite description) is analyzed as an existential claim of uniqueness. For example, "the current King of France" is a definite description that fails to denote because there is no object satisfying it.

Antonyms

• indefinite description
• ambiguous description

See also

• theory of descriptions
• iota operator
• uniqueness quantifier