distinctive

[ dih-stingk-tiv ]

/ dɪˈstɪŋk tɪv /

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See synonyms for: distinctive / distinctively / distinctiveness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

serving to distinguish; characteristic; distinguishing: the distinctive stripes of the zebra.

having a special quality, style, attractiveness, etc.; notable.

OTHER WORDS FOR distinctive

1 individual.

See synonyms for distinctive on Thesaurus.com

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of distinctive

1575–85; <Medieval Latin distinctīvus, equivalent to Latin distinct(us) distinct + -īvus-ive

OTHER WORDS FROM distinctive

dis·tinc·tive·ly, adverbdis·tinc·tive·ness, nounsub·dis·tinc·tive, adjectivesub·dis·tinc·tive·ly, adverb

sub·dis·tinc·tive·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH distinctive

distinctive , distinguishable, distinguished

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use distinctive in a sentence

Each of the eight Whitefield novels deploys this scenario, but each one has a distinctive, handcrafted feel.
‘Eddie’s Boy,’ by Thomas Perry, continues the saga of a retired hit man who can’t escape his past|Bill Sheehan|November 29, 2020|Washington Post
On Represent, you can see what your representative focuses on in their press releases, as well as the distinctive topics they discuss more than other members of Congress.
Who Is My Member of Congress? How to Find Out What Your Elected Officials Have Been Up To.|by Cynthia Gordy Giwa|October 28, 2020|ProPublica
Vox’s work is reaching more people than ever, but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn.
How old should a president be?|Daniel J. Levitin|October 22, 2020|Vox
Watch footage of her perform, and you’ll see her massive range and distinctive tone, which has kept her beloved since the 1930s.
Listen to Africa’s Singing Giants|Joshua Eferighe|October 2, 2020|Ozy

Its distinctive design is to help it maintain laminar flow over as much of the aircraft as possible.
This weird-looking plane could someday be a fast, clean option for air travel|Rob Verger|September 28, 2020|Popular-Science
Its distinctiveness arises from a key region, the frontal cortex, not being fully developed.
The Daily Beast’s Best Longreads, July 26, 2014|The Daily Beast|July 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Its original distinctiveness is something to proud of, but not its current incarnation.
Don’t Remember Barbara Walters for ‘The View’|Tim Teeman|April 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But Massad is right in describing Zionism as being premised on Jewish distinctiveness.
Establishing the 'Anti-Semitic' Roots of Zionism?|Mira Sucharov|May 14, 2013|DAILY BEAST
According to the 2005 “Jewish distinctiveness,” study, Jews are the most pro-choice ethnic or religious group in America, by far.
Romney Lost the American Jewish Vote by Picking Paul Ryan|Peter Beinart|August 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST
In late 2007 Romney traveled to Texas AM to soothe evangelicals with a speech that downplayed the distinctiveness of Mormonism.
Mormons Rock!|Walter Kirn|June 5, 2011|DAILY BEAST
There was a distinctiveness in the model of the wooden ship that was an almost infallible index to her nationality.
With Airship and Submarine|Harry Collingwood
The heavy, black velvet dress Miss Weeks had loaned her was entrancing in its rich beauty and distinctiveness.
Helen in the Editor's Chair|Ruthe S. Wheeler
The modern ghost has more individuality, more distinctiveness, in the main, than his forbears.
The Supernatural in Modern English Fiction|Dorothy Scarborough
Mori (1928a:16) first mentioned in Japanese text the alleged distinctiveness of the salamander occurring on Cheju Do.
Some Reptiles and Amphibians from Korea|Robert G Webb
These hands are unwontedly realistic, and emphasize their distinctiveness in every vein and wrinkle.
The Strand Magazine, Volume V, Issue 27, March 1893|Various

British Dictionary definitions for distinctive

distinctive

/ (dɪˈstɪŋktɪv) /

adjective

serving or tending to distinguish

denoting one of a set of minimal features of a phoneme in a given language that serve to distinguish it from other phonemes. The distinctive features of /p/ in English are that it is voiceless, bilabial, non-nasal, and plosive; /b/ is voiced, bilabial, non-nasal, and plosive: the two differ by the distinctive feature of voice

Derived forms of distinctive

distinctively, adverbdistinctiveness, noun

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

distinctive

OTHER WORDS FOR distinctive

Origin of distinctive

OTHER WORDS FROM distinctive

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH distinctive

Words related to distinctive

How to use distinctive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for distinctive

Derived forms of distinctive