distinction
Americannoun
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a marking off or distinguishing as different.
His distinction of sounds is excellent.
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the recognizing or noting of differences; discrimination.
to make a distinction between right and wrong.
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a discrimination made between things as different; special regard or favoritism.
Death comes to all without distinction.
-
condition of being different; difference.
There is a distinction between what he says and what he does.
- Antonyms:
- resemblance
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a distinguishing quality or characteristic.
It has the distinction of being the oldest house in the town.
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a distinguishing or treating with special honor, attention, or favor.
-
an act of bestowing, or a mark of, honor or favor.
-
marked superiority; note; eminence.
- Synonyms:
- importance, renown
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distinguished distinguished appearance.
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Obsolete. division; separation.
noun
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the act or an instance of distinguishing or differentiating
-
a distinguishing feature
-
the state of being different or distinguishable
-
special honour, recognition, or fame
-
excellence of character; distinctive qualities
a man of distinction
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distinguished appearance
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a symbol of honour or rank
Related Words
Distinction and difference may both refer to perceivable dissimilarities and, in this meaning, may be used interchangeably: There is a distinction ( difference ) between the two. Distinction, however, usually suggests the perception of dissimilarity, as the result of analysis and discrimination: a carefully made distinction between two treatments of the same theme; whereas difference refers only to the condition of being dissimilar: the difference between Gothic and Roman architecture. “A distinction without a difference” is a way of referring to an artificial or false discrimination. See honor.
Other Word Forms
- distinctionless adjective
- subdistinction noun
- underdistinction noun
Etymology
Origin of distinction
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English distinccioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin distinctiōn-, stem of distinctiō “difference”; equivalent to distinct + -ion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That subtle distinction could be a crucial clue to why matter survived.
From Science Daily
It’s a technical distinction that separates them from 1,000-pound commercial hogs but offers little comfort to a suburban homeowner expecting a permanent lap pet.
That distinction prevents this from being categorized as distribution or structural breakdown.
From MarketWatch
That distinction will come under strain in the House of Commons from all sides.
From BBC
That distinction also explains why the S&P 500 remains flat.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
