Determination
Etymology
From Latin "determinare" (to set bounds to, fix), from "de-" (completely) and "terminare" (to limit), from "terminus" (boundary). To determine was to draw a firm line; determination keeps that sense of a matter settled and bounded — the mind made up, the limit set.
noun · /dih-tur-mih-NAY-shun/
Firmness of purpose in pursuing a goal despite obstacles.
What it names
Resolve directed at a specific end — the settled decision that fixes a course and holds to it.
Example
It was determination, not talent, that got him through the bar exam on the third try.
Related idea
Determination is firmness toward a chosen goal; perseverance is the endurance to keep going through hardship — determination sets the aim, perseverance supplies the stamina to reach it.
noun · /dih-tur-mih-NAY-shun/
The act of establishing something exactly — an authoritative decision, or the ascertaining of a fact or quantity.
What it names
a settled ruling or precise finding
Example
The court’s determination was final; the lab’s determination of the sample’s purity took hours.
Related idea
A legal determination is only as sound as the burden of proof the deciding party actually met.