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INDEFINITE DESCRIPTION [3 records]
Record 1 - internal organization data 2026-01-08
Record 1, English
Record 1, Subject field(s)
- Artificial Intelligence
Record 1, Main entry term, English
- instance description
1, record 1, English, instance%20description
correct
Record 1, Abbreviations, English
Record 1, Synonyms, English
Record 1, Textual support, English
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
A basic indefinite description meant to represent a collection of individuals. 1, record 1, English, - instance%20description
Record 1, French
Record 1, Domaine(s)
- Intelligence artificielle
Record 1, Main entry term, French
- description d'instance
1, record 1, French, description%20d%27instance
correct, feminine noun
Record 1, Abbreviations, French
Record 1, Synonyms, French
Record 1, Textual support, French
Record 1, Spanish
Record 1, Textual support, Spanish
Record 2 - internal organization data 2026-01-08
Record 2, English
Record 2, Subject field(s)
- Artificial Intelligence
Record 2, Main entry term, English
- indefinite description
1, record 2, English, indefinite%20description
correct
Record 2, Abbreviations, English
Record 2, Synonyms, English
Record 2, French
Record 2, Domaine(s)
- Intelligence artificielle
Record 2, Main entry term, French
- description indéfinie
1, record 2, French, description%20ind%C3%A9finie
correct, feminine noun
Record 2, Abbreviations, French
Record 2, Synonyms, French
Record 2, Textual support, French
Record 2, Spanish
Record 2, Textual support, Spanish
Record 3 - internal organization data 1986-06-06
Record 3, English
Record 3, Subject field(s)
- Language (General)
Record 3, Main entry term, English
- definite description
1, record 3, English, definite%20description
correct
Record 3, Abbreviations, English
Record 3, Synonyms, English
Record 3, Textual support, English
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 CONT
A description may be of two sorts, definite and indefinite(or ambiguous).... a definite description is a phrase of the form "the so-and-so".(Russell, Bertrand, Descriptions, in Semantics & the Philosophy of Language, edited by L. Linsky, Chicago, University of Illinois Press, 1952). 1, record 3, English, - definite%20description
Record 3, French
Record 3, Domaine(s)
- Linguistique (Généralités)
Record 3, Main entry term, French
- description définie
1, record 3, French, description%20d%C3%A9finie
correct, feminine noun
Record 3, Abbreviations, French
Record 3, Synonyms, French
Record 3, Textual support, French
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 CONT
Description désignant un individu déterminé. [...] une description est définie quand elle désigne un individu déterminé : «la fille de ma voisine», «la porte de Saint-Denis». 2, record 3, French, - description%20d%C3%A9finie
Record 3, Spanish
Record 3, Textual support, Spanish
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© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2026
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau
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