distinct

[dih-stingkt]

adjective

1. distinguished as not being the same; not identical; separate (sometimes followed byfrom ).

   His private and public lives are distinct.

   Synonyms: individual, discrete

2. different in nature or quality; dissimilar (sometimes followed byfrom ).

   Gold is distinct from iron.

3. clear to the senses or intellect; plain; unmistakable.

   The ship appeared as a distinct silhouette.

   Synonyms: well-defined, sharp, unlike, distinguishable, disparate, different
   Antonyms: indistinct

4. distinguishing or perceiving clearly.

   distinct vision.

5. unquestionably exceptional or notable.

   a distinct honor.

6. Archaic.,  distinctively decorated or adorned.

distinct

/ dɪˈstɪŋkt /

adjective

1. easily sensed or understood; clear; precise

2. (when postpositive, foll by from) not the same (as); separate (from); distinguished (from)

3. not alike; different

4. sharp; clear

5. recognizable; definite

   a distinct improvement

6. explicit; unequivocal

7. maths logic (of a pair of entities) not identical

8. botany (of parts of a plant) not joined together; separate

Other Word Forms

• distinctness noun
• distinctly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of distinct¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin distinctus, “divided off,” past participle of disting(u)ere “to divide off, pick out, distinguish,” from di- di- ² + sting(u)ere (unrecorded), presumably, “to prick, mark by pricking”; instinct ¹, instigate

Word History and Origins

Origin of distinct¹

C14: from Latin distinctus, from distinguere to _distinguish

Example Sentences

When the rare combination of a market high, a volatility spike, and a momentum breakdown happens, the S&P 500 tends to follow “distinct and potentially deceptive pattern,” the firm notes.

Read more on Barron's

To overcome this, the Atukorale Lab has engineered a lipid nanoparticle-based "super adjuvant" capable of stably encapsulating and co-delivering two distinct immune adjuvants that activate immunity in a coordinated, synergistic way.

Read more on Science Daily

She does believe, however, that AI-generated podcasts with synthetic voices will emerge as a distinct genre -- somewhat like live-action films and animation, which have proven their storytelling potential and appeal over time.

Read more on Barron's

While most countries would love to build a world-class tech sector, Paraguay has a distinct advantage in one regard – an abundance of cheap, green electricity.

Read more on BBC

When stressed in hotter ocean waters, corals expel the microscopic algae that provides their distinct colour and food source.

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Related Words

• discrete 
• disparate 
• dissimilar 
• distinctive 
• divergent 
• diverse 
• offbeat 
• particular 
• peculiar 
• separate 
• special 
• specific 
• unique 
• various 

When To Use

What are other ways to say distinct?

The adjective distinct is used to describe things that are clearly distinguished from others. How does distinct compare to synonyms different, various, and diverse? Find out on Thesaurus.com.