distinctive feature
Americannoun
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a feature of the sound system of a language that serves as the crucial distinguishing mark between two phonemes, as the distinctive feature of voicing, which distinguishes b from p in English, or nasality, which distinguishes m from b and p.
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any of a set of phonetic properties, as coronal, nasal, or strident, serving as a basic unit of phonological analysis by which the sounds that are significant in a language can be characterized and distinguished from one another.
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a component or phonetic feature characterizing a phoneme.
Etymology
Origin of distinctive feature
First recorded in 1925–30
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.
“One distinctive feature of the British planning system is the degree to which it empowers local opposition,” said economist Christian Hilber.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
A distinctive feature of this new alliance is that it unites two organisations with different agendas, said Jean-Herve Jezequel, the head of the Sahel project at the International Crisis Group.
From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026
The finding suggests that this type of compositionality may be a distinctive feature of the prefrontal cortex.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 28, 2025
Judge Capstick said a distinctive feature belonging to the teenager could be matched to the figure shown on the footage.
From BBC ● Mar. 21, 2025
The Clabbert’s most distinctive feature is the large pustule in the middle of its forehead, which turns scarlet and flashes when it senses danger.
From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling
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.
