Mean Definition (“Mean Definition,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect information when you visit https://meandefinition.com/ or interact with our website and services.
By using Mean Definition, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy. Where consent is required by law, we will ask for it before using non-essential cookies or processing personal information for the relevant purpose.
1. Who We Are
Mean Definition is an independent educational website that publishes information about word meanings, synonyms, antonyms, parts of speech, and English grammar.
For privacy purposes, the website is operated by RHF / Mean Definition. Questions or privacy requests can be sent to:
- Email: [Privacy Email Address]
- Website: [Website URL]
- Mailing address: [Mailing Address, if applicable]
2. Information We Collect
The information we collect depends on how you interact with the website.
Information You Provide Voluntarily
We may collect information that you choose to provide, including:
- Your name and email address when you contact us;
- The content of messages, questions, corrections, or feedback you submit;
- Your name, email address, website address, and comment when you leave a comment, if comments are enabled;
- Your email address and subscription preferences when you join a newsletter, if offered; and
- Any other information you voluntarily provide through a form or direct communication.
Please do not send sensitive personal information through our contact forms or comments.
Information Collected Automatically
When you visit the website, our hosting provider, security tools, analytics services, advertising partners, or similar technologies may automatically collect certain information, such as:
- Internet Protocol (IP) address;
- Browser type and version;
- Device type, operating system, and language settings;
- Referring website or page;
- Pages viewed and links clicked;
- Date, time, and approximate duration of a visit;
- General location derived from an IP address;
- Cookie identifiers and similar device information; and
- Diagnostic, security, performance, and error data.
We may combine information collected automatically with other information where permitted by law.
3. How We Use Information
We may use collected information to:
- Operate, maintain, secure, and improve Mean Definition;
- Deliver website content and remember user preferences;
- Respond to questions, feedback, correction requests, and other messages;
- Manage comments, subscriptions, and communications you request;
- Understand how readers use the website and which content is helpful;
- Detect spam, fraud, abuse, security threats, and technical problems;
- Display, measure, and manage advertising;
- Comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms; and
- Protect our rights, users, website, and service providers.
We do not use personal information for purposes that are materially different from those described here without providing notice and obtaining consent where required.
4. Lawful Bases for Processing
If UK or European data protection law applies, we rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:
- Consent: When you agree to optional cookies, newsletter messages, personalised advertising, or another specific use. You may withdraw consent at any time.
- Legitimate interests: When processing is reasonably necessary to operate, improve, secure, and understand the website, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.
- Contract: When processing is necessary to provide a service or response that you have requested.
- Legal obligation: When we must process information to comply with applicable law, regulation, court order, or lawful request.
The appropriate lawful basis depends on the information and the reason it is used.
5. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Mean Definition and its service providers may use cookies, pixels, web beacons, local storage, and similar technologies. Cookies are small files stored on or accessed through your device.
We may use the following types of cookies:
- Strictly necessary cookies: Required for essential website functions, security, fraud prevention, or consent settings.
- Preference cookies: Remember choices such as language, display, or cookie preferences.
- Analytics cookies: Help us understand visits, traffic sources, and website performance.
- Advertising cookies: Support advertising, frequency control, measurement, and, where permitted, personalisation.
Where required, non-essential cookies will not be used until you make a choice through our consent banner. You can review or change your choices using the Cookie Settings link on the website, if available. You can also block or delete cookies through your browser settings, although some website features may not function correctly.
6. Google AdSense and Advertising
Mean Definition may participate in Google AdSense or use other advertising partners to display advertisements.
Third-party vendors, including Google, may place or read cookies on your browser or use web beacons, IP addresses, and similar technologies to serve, limit, personalise, and measure advertisements. Google’s advertising cookies may allow Google and its partners to show ads based on your visits to Mean Definition or other websites, subject to your consent choices and applicable law.
Depending on your location and choices, you may receive personalised or non-personalised advertising. You can learn how Google uses information from sites that use its services at:
https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites
You can manage personalised advertising through Google Ads Settings:
https://adssettings.google.com
You may also find industry opt-out options at:
Opting out of personalised advertising does not necessarily stop advertisements from appearing; the ads may instead be based on general factors such as the page content or approximate location.
Consent for the EEA, United Kingdom, and Switzerland
Where required, visitors in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, and Switzerland will be shown a consent message that allows them to accept, reject, or manage relevant advertising and cookie choices. Mean Definition intends to use a consent management platform that meets Google’s applicable publisher requirements when serving ads in these regions.
7. Analytics
We may use Google Analytics or a similar analytics service to understand website traffic and performance. Analytics providers may collect information such as IP address, device details, pages visited, referral source, and interaction data using cookies or similar technologies.
Where legally required, analytics will be activated only after you provide consent. If Google Analytics is enabled, you can learn about Google’s data practices at:
https://policies.google.com/privacy
Google also provides a browser add-on for opting out of Google Analytics:
https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
8. Comments, Contact Forms, and Email
If you submit a comment or contact form, we use the information you provide to review the submission, respond to you, prevent spam, and maintain website security. Comments may be publicly visible together with the name you provide. Your email address will not normally be displayed publicly.
Automated spam-detection services may review submitted content and associated technical data. Please avoid including personal or confidential information in a public comment.
If you subscribe to an email newsletter, we will use your email address to send the communications you requested. You may unsubscribe at any time using the link included in an email or by contacting us. We do not send marketing email where consent or another lawful basis is required and has not been obtained.
9. How We Share Information
We may share information only when reasonably necessary with:
- Website hosting, content delivery, security, spam prevention, backup, and technical service providers;
- Analytics, advertising, and consent-management providers;
- Email, newsletter, or contact-form providers, if used;
- Professional advisers, auditors, or insurers where necessary;
- Government agencies, regulators, courts, or law-enforcement authorities when required by law; and
- A successor or prospective successor in connection with a merger, sale, transfer, or reorganisation of the website or its assets.
Service providers are permitted to process information only for authorised purposes and subject to their own legal and contractual responsibilities.
Mean Definition does not directly sell personal information for money. However, the use of certain advertising or analytics technologies may be considered a “sale,” “sharing,” or targeted advertising under some privacy laws. Where required, we provide consent or opt-out choices through our cookie and privacy controls.
10. International Data Transfers
Some service providers may process information in countries other than the country where you live. Those countries may have different data protection laws.
Where applicable law requires safeguards for an international transfer, we or our providers may use approved contractual terms, adequacy decisions, or another recognised transfer mechanism. You may contact us for more information about safeguards relevant to your personal information.
11. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to provide requested services, maintain security, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and comply with legal obligations.
Retention periods may vary according to the type of information, why it was collected, legal requirements, and the settings of our service providers. For example:
- Contact messages may be kept while we manage the enquiry and for a reasonable record-keeping period;
- Newsletter details may be retained until you unsubscribe, after which limited suppression information may be kept to honour your request;
- Comments may remain while the relevant content is published unless removal is requested and legally required; and
- Security and server logs may be retained for a limited period unless they are needed to investigate abuse, fraud, or a security incident.
When information is no longer required, we aim to delete, anonymise, or securely dispose of it.
12. Data Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organisational measures intended to protect information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, updates, backups, encryption in transit, and security monitoring where appropriate.
No internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You provide information online at your own risk.
13. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your location, you may have rights concerning your personal information, including the right to:
- Request access to the personal information we hold about you;
- Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
- Request deletion of personal information;
- Restrict or object to certain processing;
- Receive certain information in a portable format;
- Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent;
- Opt out of targeted advertising or certain forms of sale or sharing where applicable;
- Appeal a decision concerning a privacy request where local law provides that right; and
- Lodge a complaint with an applicable data protection authority.
To exercise a privacy right, contact [Privacy Email Address] and describe your request. We may need to verify your identity before responding. We will not discriminate against you for exercising a right provided by law.
UK residents may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. Information about raising a concern is available at:
https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/data-protection-complaints
14. Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track
Some browsers offer Global Privacy Control (GPC) or “Do Not Track” signals. Because there is not one universally accepted standard for all such signals, our response may vary according to applicable law and the capabilities of our website and service providers. Where legally required and technically supported, we will treat a recognised opt-out signal as a request to opt out of relevant sale, sharing, or targeted advertising.
15. Children’s Privacy
Mean Definition provides general educational information and is not directed specifically to children under 13. We do not knowingly request or collect personal information from children under 13 without appropriate permission.
If you are under 13, do not submit personal information through comments, contact forms, or subscriptions without the involvement of a parent or guardian. If we learn that we collected a child’s personal information unlawfully, we will take reasonable steps to delete it. A parent or guardian may contact us at [Privacy Email Address].
16. Third-Party Links
Our articles may link to websites, tools, or services operated by third parties. We do not control their privacy practices and are not responsible for their content or policies. Review the privacy policy of any external service before providing personal information.
17. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our website, service providers, legal requirements, or data practices. When we make changes, we will revise the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. If a change materially affects how we use personal information, we will provide additional notice or request consent where required.