differential

American  

[dif-uh-ren-shuhl] / ˌdɪf əˈrɛn ʃəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to difference or diversity.

2. constituting a difference; distinguishing; distinctive.

   a differential feature.

3. exhibiting or depending upon a difference or distinction.

4. Physics, Machinery. pertaining to or involving the difference of two or more motions, forces, etc.

5. Mathematics. pertaining to or involving a derivative or derivatives.

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noun

• differentials
  plural

1. a difference or the amount of difference, as in rate, cost, quantity, degree, or quality, between things that are comparable.

2. Also called differential gear. Machinery. an epicyclic train of gears designed to permit two or more shafts to rotate at different speeds, as a set of gears in an automobile permitting the rear wheels to be driven at different speeds when the car is turning.

3. Mathematics.

   1. a function of two variables that is obtained from a given function, y = f (x ), and that expresses the approximate increment in the given function as the derivative of the function times the increment in the independent variable, written as dy = f′ (x ) dx.

   2. any generalization of this function to higher dimensions.

4. Commerce.

   1. the difference involved in a differential rate.

   2. differential rate.

5. Physics. the quantitative difference between two or more forces, motions, etc..

   a pressure differential.

differential British  

/ ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or using a difference

2. constituting a difference; distinguishing

3. maths of, containing, or involving one or more derivatives or differentials

4. physics engineering relating to, operating on, or based on the difference between two effects, motions, forces, etc

   differential amplifier

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noun

1. a factor that differentiates between two comparable things

2. maths

   1. an increment in a given function, expressed as the product of the derivative of that function and the corresponding increment in the independent variable

   2. an increment in a given function of two or more variables, f( x 1 , x 2 , … xn ), expressed as the sum of the products of each partial derivative and the increment in the corresponding variable

3. an epicyclic gear train that permits two shafts to rotate at different speeds while being driven by a third shaft See also differential gear

4. the difference between rates of pay for different types of labour, esp when forming a pay structure within an industry

5. (in commerce) a difference in rates, esp between comparable labour services or transportation routes

differential Scientific  

/ dĭf′ə-rĕn′shəl /

1. An infinitesimal increment in a variable.

2. The product of the derivative of a function of one variable and the increment of the independent variable.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• differentially
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• differentials
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of differential

1640–50; < Medieval Latin differentiālis, equivalent to differenti ( a ) difference + ālis -al ¹

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Explanation

Things that show a difference or act in different ways can be described as differential. You and your sister may get differential benefits from eating a vegetarian diet. You're most likely to come across the adjective differential in scholarly or scientific writing — it's really just a more formal way to say "different" or "differing." Sociological studies or articles often describe differential circumstances or outcomes, like the differential effects on various children of being raised with one parent. The Latin differentia is at the root of differential — it means "diversity or difference," and it comes from differre, "to set apart."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

differential differentials

The Lakers were outrebounded by one in the two games with Kessler compared with a minus-23 rebounding differential during the first three preseason games.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

“We’re searching for every possible way to give ourselves an advantage,” said Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, whose team lost at Buffalo last Sunday despite five takeaways and a plus-four turnover differential.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

The situation is so bad that even the Baltimore Orioles, who are in last place in the AL East, have a better run differential than the entire AL West.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

As long as that differential is positive, it is a bullish sign for the stock market.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

He occupied himself by inventing the differential and integral calculus, making fundamental discoveries on the nature of light and laying the foundation for the theory of universal gravitation.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

The won experienced sharp bouts of depreciation earlier this year, whipsawed by geopolitical headwinds that pushed up the dollar, concerns about domestic growth and rate differentials with the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

TOKYO—The yen is under renewed pressure as fresh expectations of Federal Reserve monetary tightening dim the prospects of U.S.-Japan interest-rate differentials narrowing in the currency’s favor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

Conflict in the Middle East has disrupted energy and freight markets, shifted trade flows and widened regional price differentials.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Interest rate differentials are usually the driver of forex rates because capital is attracted by higher returns.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

Nevertheless, underneath all the mathematics, Leibniz’s differentials still had the same forbidden 0/0 nature that plagued Newton’s fluxions.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

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Related Words

• characteristic
• contrast
• difference
• differentiation
• discrepancy
• discrimination
• divergence
• division
• judgment
• nicety
• perception
• quality
• sensitivity
• separation

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