distinguish

Pronunciation: /dɪˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/

Reading level: medium

Estimated CEFR level: A2 — Elementary

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. verb mark as different
  2. verb detect with the senses
  3. verb be a distinctive feature, attribute, or trait; sometimes in a very positive sense

Etymology

From Middle English distingwen, from Old French distinguer, from Latin distinguere (“to separate, divide, distinguish, set off, adorn, literally mark off”), from di-, dis- (“apart”) + stinguere, related to English stink. Compare extinguish.

In classic literature

Synonyms

separate, differentiate, secern, secernate, severalize, severalise, tell, tell apart

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
identify
Narrower (hyponyms)
discriminate, decouple, severalize, label, contrast, individualize

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