Template:Definition by negation
More actions
This inline tag flags a sentence or clause that defines its subject by stating what it is not, rather than what it is. It is a copyedit flag in the editorial tag family. Place it immediately after the text it marks.
Usage
{{Definition by negation}}, or the shortcut {{dbn}}.
With an optional date:
{{dbn|date=May 2026}}
Rendered output:
The plant [definition by negation] grows at altitude.
Parameters
- date
- Optional. The month and year the tag was added, shown as a muted suffix. Useful for tracking how long a flag has stood unresolved.
When to use
On a sentence that establishes its subject only in the negative, where the reader is told what the subject is not before, or instead of, what it is. Lead and definition sentences are the usual sites: "X is not Y", "unlike Z, this is...", "not to be confused with...". The contrast may be accurate, but on its own it is not a definition.
When not to use
A negation that follows a positive definition and adds real information is correct prose and should be left alone. Reserve the tag for cases where the negation stands in for the definition. For unsourced synthesis use Template:Original research. For vague attribution use Template:Weasel. For sentences that are merely too long use Template:Run on sentence.