by maybenot September 04, 2003
by Hunter_owen12 December 30, 2014
'Definately' enjoys a subtly different meaning from 'definitely'.
If some item x is definitely f (i.e. it definitely has the property of f-ness), then it must be f in some perfect, absolute, non-finite way.
By contrast, if some item x is definately f then x is f by definition, or is the very definition of f-ness.
The former is an ontological claim, whereas the latter is conceptual/semantic.
That's why all us clever people who spell by rational deduction rather than blind repetition use both spellings, to distinguish our precise meanings.
If some item x is definitely f (i.e. it definitely has the property of f-ness), then it must be f in some perfect, absolute, non-finite way.
By contrast, if some item x is definately f then x is f by definition, or is the very definition of f-ness.
The former is an ontological claim, whereas the latter is conceptual/semantic.
That's why all us clever people who spell by rational deduction rather than blind repetition use both spellings, to distinguish our precise meanings.
by philip mark young August 02, 2007
An alternative spelling of the word "definitely", used most notoriously by a sensationably adorable girl whose defiant side causes her to use a more phenetic spelling for words with arbitrary spellings.
You definately don't spell "definitely" as "definitely".
by andy jeffreys October 24, 2007
by Ravek March 20, 2004
by Rapchandus January 25, 2015
by White Rabbit19 July 15, 2017

