Count groups, not colored shapes
Definition counts groups joined by completed channels. Begin with one defined center and follow every complete connection reachable from it. Those centers belong to one group, even when the path takes several steps. Start again from a defined center outside that group until all defined centers are counted.
The explorer names zero groups No definition; one Single; two Split; three Triple-split; and four Quadruple-split. The group cards list the centers and complete channels so that the label can be inspected.
Trace an indirect path
For a synthetic example, gates 25 and 51 connect G with Ego, while 1 and 8 connect G with Throat. Ego, G and Throat belong to one group even though Ego does not connect directly to Throat in that example. Counting only direct neighbors would incorrectly split the group.
An activated gate with an absent partner adds no connection. Birth and design activations can complete a channel together, so inspect the combined graph while retaining each endpoint’s provenance.
Use the label as a starting point
Use the group cards to distinguish a computed connection from a symbolic interpretation. A split does not establish a missing part of the person or a need for someone else to complete them. An optional reflection is to compare the diagram’s groups with lived observations while keeping disagreements visible.
Word origin · etymology
Latin-derived English noun, technically repurposed.
Definition comes from defining or setting boundaries. Human Design reuses the word for the connectivity of completed channels.
Merriam-Webster: definition ↗Jovian Archive: Human Design Dictionary ↗
How we know · epistemology
Connectivity classification
Counting connected groups of defined centers produces the definition category. Graph splits concern the diagram's paths; they do not demonstrate fragmented identity, a need for a particular partner or incomplete personal development.
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Terms used in this explanation
These links connect subjects and terminology. They do not establish a shared historical origin.
Sources & provenance
Use the citations beside each section to distinguish a calculation convention, a historical teaching and an editorial example.