differentiation

[ dif-uh-ren-shee-ey-shuhn ]

/ ˌdɪf əˌrɛn ʃiˈeɪ ʃən /

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See synonyms for differentiation on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

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

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

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Origin of differentiation

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

Words nearby differentiation

differential topology, differential ureteralcatheterization test, differential weathering, differential windlass, differentiate, differentiation, differentiator, differently, different strokes for different folks, difficile, difficult

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use differentiation in a sentence

Cell differentiation is evidently not a one-way street, as previously believed.
Over Time, Buddhism and Science Agree - Issue 94: Evolving|David P. Barash|December 23, 2020|Nautilus
Meanwhile, many department store chains made the wrong bets, investing more heavily in store expansion while underinvesting in merchandise differentiation and e-commerce strategies.
The death of the department store and the American middle class|Jason Del Rey|November 30, 2020|Vox
Its main differentiation from MOOCs is that it’s live and has teacher assistants.
As edtech crowds up, Campuswire bets big on real-time learning|Natasha Mascarenhas|November 11, 2020|TechCrunch
Jiko’s unusual, slow-and-steady approach isn’t its only point of differentiation.
Jiko raises $40 million to become a most unusual challenger bank|rhhackettfortune|October 29, 2020|Fortune

It’s a far more aggressive point of differentiation than Microsoft is actively signalling in the marketplace now.
‘Asymmetrical in every sense’: The latest console wars see Sony and Microsoft pursue diverging battle plans|Seb Joseph|September 25, 2020|Digiday
The answer: standing apart (self-differentiation was the term he used) and staying connected.
Fixing a Dysfunctional Family: Congress|Gene Robinson|November 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Stem cell differentiation involves a plethora of regulatory factors and signals that are in a constant state of flux.
This Is the Way You’ll Live Forever|Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Tej Azad|May 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The result is a great deal of imitation, combined with small efforts at differentiation and innovation.
Frozen-Yogurt Shops Are Everywhere, but We Are Nowhere Near Saturation|Daniel Gross|July 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST
In the summer, tomatoes rule the kitchen, even if few know how to prepare them with any differentiation.
The Only Food That Matters|Katie Workman|August 18, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Besides the differentiation of germ-cells there are rather obvious differences in the bodies of the two sexes.
Taboo and Genetics|Melvin Moses Knight, Iva Lowther Peters, and Phyllis Mary Blanchard
In other words, what is the nature of the process of differentiation into male and female which it sets in motion?
Taboo and Genetics|Melvin Moses Knight, Iva Lowther Peters, and Phyllis Mary Blanchard
There must be a differentiation between them, and a differentiation that will clearly meet the various uses to which they are put.
Proceedings of the Second National Conservation Congress|Various
It is worthy of note that as the distance away from the center of differentiation increases, the number of species decreases.
Speciation in the Kangaroo Rat, Dipodomys ordii|Henry W. Setzer
A secondary center of differentiation is apparent in the low, hot valleys of central California.
Speciation in the Kangaroo Rat, Dipodomys ordii|Henry W. Setzer

British Dictionary definitions for differentiation

differentiation

/ (ˌdɪfəˌrɛnʃɪˈeɪʃən) /

noun

the act, process, or result of differentiating

maths an operation used in calculus in which the derivative of a function or variable is determined; the inverse of integrationSee integration (def. 6)

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for differentiation

differentiation

[ dĭf′ə-rĕn′shē-ā′shən ]

The acquisition or possession of a character or function different from that of the original type.specialization

differential diagnosis

Scientific definitions for differentiation

differentiation

[ dĭf′ə-rĕn′shē-ā′shən ]

In calculus, the process of computing the derivative of a function. Compare integration.

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.

differentiation

Origin of differentiation

Words nearby differentiation

Words related to differentiation

How to use differentiation in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for differentiation

Medical definitions for differentiation

Scientific definitions for differentiation