The Limiting of Definitions

Hey Everyone,

I hope you are all doing well. I'm sure by now most of you have caught onto the fact I'm a big nerd. I might as well as own that now because this new series is about to reveal the depths of my Nerdhood. Not only will it expose my love of research, it will show my growing fascination with definitions and etymologies.

This new love of mine happened by chance. On a whim I decided to look up the definitions and origins of the words "perfect" and "holy". What I discovered blew my mind. The meanings I had always assumed - "without fault" and "morally righteous" - were not accurate. Yet I had built the expectations for my entire life around these assumptions... only to find out the words actually mean "to be complete" and "to be whole or set apart".

As someone who identifies as a Bible Reading Christian, this changed everything. Literally the very foundation of my understanding.

So naturally a new obsession was formed and lucky for you... I decided to share. Aren't you excited?!! LOL.

And to kick off this new fantastically nerdy series "Limiting Definitions", I figured why not start with the two words that make up the title for this series. Just as a little sampler before we get into the heavier hitting words and meaning changes.

ROOTED ASSUMPTION

Today the word "Limiting" carries a negative tone. When I think of the word limiting, I usually think of words like restriction, suppression, or something that holds you back. Case in point... a "Limiting belief" is something to break free from. I actually created a self guided journal Overthrowing Limitations with that exact idea in mind. That a "Limit" is something to overcome.

At the same time, "Definitions" are treated as simple explanations - neutral descriptions of what words mean. Most people assume definitions are for the most part stable, accurate, universally agreed upon, and ironically... unchangeable. If something changes in our belief, we assume we just find another word rather than changing the actual definition of a word. (Throughout this series we will learn several words where the definition has actually been changed to mean the exact opposite of its original meaning. But that's jumping ahead.)

Back to my point. We assume Definitions are simply descriptions and limits are restrictions.

REVELATION

The word limit comes from the Latin līmes, meaning a boundary, border, or dividing line between territories. It was not originally about suppression, but about marking where something begins and ends.

To “limit” something meant to define its scope—to establish its range, its structure, its edge.

The word definition comes from the Latin dēfīnītiō, from dēfīnīre. Breaking it down, dē- means “completely,” and fīnīre means “to bound” or “to set an end,” from fīnis, meaning boundary or limit.

So to define something originally meant to set its boundaries clearly and completely—to determine what it is by also determining what it is not.

Interestingly enough, both words share the same conceptual root: Boundaries.

A Limit establishes a boundary and a Definition explains a boundary.

RE-EXAMINING

So why does this matter? At first glance, it doesn’t seem like a big shift. “Restriction” isn’t that far from “boundary.” And “description” doesn’t feel that far from “definition.”

But the difference is not in the similarity—it’s in the function.

A boundary is something that establishes structure. A restriction is something that removes freedom.

A definition, at its origin, is meant to set clear boundaries so something can be understood accurately. But in modern use, definitions have become passive descriptions—something we inherit, not something we examine.

And that is where the problem begins.

Because if a definition is even slightly off, then the boundary it creates is also off. And if the boundary is off, then the way we operate inside that boundary will be distorted.

This is subtle, but it is not small.

Take the words “perfect” and “holy,” for example.

If “perfect” means “without fault,” then your focus becomes identifying every possible flaw and trying to eliminate it. Your attention is constantly pulled toward what is wrong, what is missing, and what needs to be corrected. You end up living in a cycle of self-evaluation, trying to meet a standard that is defined by the absence of error.

But if “perfect” actually means “to be complete,” the entire orientation shifts. The question is no longer “Where am I failing?” but “What is required for wholeness?” Instead of chasing flawlessness, you begin to pursue fullness.

The boundary changed—and so did the behavior.

The same is true for “holy.”

If “holy” means “morally righteous,” then the focus becomes identifying the correct set of rules and making sure you follow them. You are constantly asking, “What is right?” and “Am I doing it correctly?”

But if “holy” means “to be whole or set apart,” then the focus shifts to alignment and identity. The question becomes, “What does it mean to be set apart?” and “What does wholeness actually look like?” It moves from rule-following to understanding structure and purpose.

Again, the boundary changed—and everything with it.

So no, the meanings are not “that far off.” They are just off enough to reshape how you think, what you pursue, and how you evaluate your life—without you ever questioning it.

And that is far more dangerous than being obviously wrong.

RE-DIRECTION

Here's the thing about boundaries. I once heard from a lawyer that if a fence line on a property is placed incorrectly, but left there long enough—eventually that fence line becomes the new boundary. Not because it was right, but because it was accepted. And over time, everything adjusts to it.

That's how boundaries work.

Even when the boundaries are wrong, if they go unexamined, they begin to define what is considered true. And once that line is accepted, people stop questioning it and start living within it.

That’s how definitions and limits work together.

Think about it like this: A definition is what tells you where the line is. A limit is what happens once you believe that line is real.

Go back to the fence. If the fence is in the wrong place, that doesn’t immediately change anything physically. The land is still the same. But the moment you accept that fence as the boundary, your behavior changes.

You stop using that part of the land. You stop taking care of it. You stop thinking of it as yours. And eventually that land isn't yours anymore because the boundary has changed (and thus you are more limited than you were before).

RESOLUTION

So that is where this series is coming from. If definitions can shift boundaries, and boundaries shape direction, then it’s worth taking a closer look at the words we are building our lives around.

Because most of us didn’t choose those definitions. We inherited them. We were taught them, repeated them, and accepted them—without ever really questioning if they were accurate. And if they’re not, then the limits we’ve been living within due to those inaccurate definitions may not be accurate either.

So we’re going to take common words—words that we assume we already understand —and go back to their origins. We’re going to look at what they originally meant, what they mean now, and what changed along the way..

Assuming I knew what certain words meant set the trajectory of my life. So if the assumed meaning can do that, I’m hoping the true meaning can change it.

That sounded way more intelligent than saying I just like looking up definitions for fun. 😂

Anyway, I need to sign off. I hope you all have a great day.

Jacqueline Marie