differentiation

American  

[dif-uh-ren-shee-ey-shuhn] / ˌdɪf əˌrɛn ʃiˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

• differentiations
  plural

1. the act or process of differentiating, or the state of being differentiated.

2. Mathematics. the operation of finding the differential or derivative of a function.

3. Biology. the process by which cells or tissues change from relatively generalized to specialized kinds, during development.

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differentiation British  

/ ˌdɪfəˌrɛnʃɪˈeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act, process, or result of differentiating

2. maths an operation used in calculus in which the derivative of a function or variable is determined; the inverse of integration See integration

3. any process in which a mixture of materials separates out partially or completely into its constituent parts, as in the cooling and solidification of a magma into two or more different rock types or in the gradual separation of an originally homogeneous earth into crust, mantle, and core

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differentiation Scientific  

/ dĭf′ə-rĕn′shē-ā′shən /

1. In calculus, the process of computing the derivative of a function.

2. Compare integration

3. The process by which cells or parts of an organism change during development to serve a specific function. The cells of an animal in its early embryonic phase, for example, are identical at first but develop by differentiation into specific tissues, such as bone, heart muscle, and skin. The factors determining the differentiation of any particular cell are not well understood, but in deuterostomes (vertebrates and other complex animals) they include the location of the cell relative to other cells.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• differentiations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of differentiation

First recorded in 1800–10; differentiat(e) + -ion

Explanation

Differentiation is how someone or something is set apart from others. If you make a differentiation between one brand of toothpaste and another, you point out how they're distinct. You can see the word different in differentiation. The -tion ending tips you off that differentiation is the noun form of different: differentiation refers to the differences themselves. Suppose two very similar movies come out at the same time. The studios will work to achieve differentiation in the films' trailers, with one highlighting the chemistry between the romantic leads and the other showing moments of slap-stick comedy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

differentiation differentiations

But to offer some differentiation, many will doubtless portray him as being a bit too out there, especially when they start making the electability argument.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

The title of the paper is "Nanomolar vanillin, an e-cigarette flavorant, appears to disrupt pluripotency and promote endodermal differentiation in human embryonic stem cells via TRPV4 activation."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026

At the time of the changes, the government argued that, external the new scale "recognises more clearly the achievements of high-attaining students, as the additional grades allow for greater differentiation".

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

Palantir’s “own your alpha” strategy “extends Palantir’s differentiation into AI governance, an important emerging area where traditional approaches may prove insufficient,” he wrote.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026

Newton’s style of differentiation was based upon fluxions—the flows—of mathematical expressions that he called fluents.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

Unless, we should say, those differentiations are superpowers, as they’re presented in “The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh.”

From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2024

Although Eritreans supporting the regime would not appear to be in need of international protection as refugees, the authorities in Israel have not made differentiations between asylum seekers based on their political affiliations until now.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2023

As I walk, I admire the shifting light illuminating the gradients of the canyon’s opposite walls — differentiations that make manifest time itself, according to the geology museum I discover farther along at Yavapai Point.

From New York Times ● May 12, 2022

But he was swamped with questions about how an officer might make such differentiations.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 24, 2021

Do not take the over-smart differentiations of legato seriously.

From Piano Playing: With Piano Questions Answered by Josef Hofmann