distinguish
[dih-sting-gwish]
- to mark off as different (often followed by from or by): He was distinguished from the other boys by his height.
- to recognize as distinct or different; recognize the salient or individual features or characteristics of: It is hard to distinguish her from her twin sister.
- to perceive clearly by sight or other sense; discern; recognize: He could not distinguish many of the words.
- to set apart as different; be a distinctive characteristic of; characterize: It is his Italian accent that distinguishes him.
- to make prominent, conspicuous, or eminent: to distinguish oneself in battle.
- to divide into classes; classify: Let us distinguish the various types of metaphor.
- Archaic. to single out for or honor with special attention.
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- to indicate or show a difference (usually followed by between).
- to recognize or note differences; discriminate.
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Origin of distinguish
Synonym study
2. Distinguish, differentiate, discriminate suggest an attempt to analyze characteristic features or qualities of things. To distinguish is to recognize the characteristic features belonging to a thing: to distinguish a light cruiser from a heavy cruiser. To discriminate is to perceive the particular, nice, or exact differences between things, to determine wherein these differences consist, and to estimate their significance: to discriminate prejudiced from unprejudiced testimony. To differentiate is to point out exactly and in detail the differences between (usually) two things: The symptoms of both diseases are so similar that it is hard to differentiate one from another.
Antonyms
2. confuse.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for distinguish
Contemporary Examples
The line between being careful about what you eat and being obsessive is difficult to distinguish.
Food business groups argue that a gram of sugar, natural or added, is a gram of sugar—so why distinguish it?
Then there was the attempt to distinguish her tax status from those who are “truly well off.”
Behind-the-scenes technological differences do not distinguish Aereo's system from cable systems, which do perform publicly.
And how could we distinguish the small exomoon signal from that of its host planet?
Historical Examples
Through his glasses Kingozi could distinguish rounded foothills.
The Leopard WomanStewart Edward White
And the word was invented to distinguish the laymen from the clergymen.
Samantha Among the Brethren, Part 7.Josiah Allen's Wife (Marietta Holley)
I now put forth my whole speed, and while thus running could distinguish no sound.
Green MansionsW. H. Hudson
Without Ithuriel's spear, how can they distinguish the good from the evil?
Tales And Novels, Volume 3 (of 10)Maria Edgeworth
The Pigmies are so called to distinguish them from the bulkier Caucasians —who are Hogmies.
The Devil's DictionaryAmbrose Bierce
distinguish
- (when intr, foll by between or among) to make, show, or recognize a difference or differences (between or among); differentiate (between)
- to be a distinctive feature of; characterize
- to make out; perceive
- to mark for a special honour or title
- to make (oneself) noteworthyhe distinguished himself by his cowardice
- to classify; categorizewe distinguished three species
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Word Origin
C16: from Latin distinguere to separate, discriminate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for distinguish
v.
1560s, from Middle French distinguiss-, stem of distinguer, or directly from Latin distinguere "to separate between, separate by pricking," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + -stinguere "to prick" (see extinguish, and cf. Latin instinguere "to incite, impel").
The suffix -ish is due to the influence of many verbs in which it is the equivalent of Old French -iss-, ultimately from Latin inchoative suffix -iscere (this is also the case in extinguish, admonish, and astonish). Related: Distinguishing. The earlier form of the verb was distinguen (mid-14c.).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper