/dɪˌlɪniˈeɪʃən/
描绘;描述;划定。指对某事物进行精确、清晰的描述、勾画或界定,常用于表达对边界、特征或细节的准确呈现。
The delineation of the country's borders took several years to complete.
该国边界的划定花了数年时间才完成。
Her delineation of the main character's inner conflict was so vivid that readers felt as though they were experiencing the turmoil themselves.
她对主角内心冲突的刻画如此生动,读者仿佛亲身经历了那种煎熬。
该词源自拉丁语 delineatio,由 delineare 派生而来,意为"勾画轮廓"。其中 de- 表示"完全地",lineare 来自 linea(线条)。最初用于绘画和制图领域,指用线条勾勒出事物的轮廓,后来引申为对任何事物进行精确描述或界定。该词在16世纪进入英语。