Dictionary

distinguish en · VERB

Pronunciation

(US) audio
/dɪˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/
dĭ-stĭngʹgwĭsh

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.

Meanings

To recognize someone or something as different from others based on its characteristics.
- It had begun to take a leading place even in the days of the Ptolemies, and in scientific, as distinguished from purely literary work, it had assumed a position of primary importance early in the Christian era. 1922, De Lacy O'Leary, Arabic Thought and Its Place in History:
- The physics of elementary particles in the 20th century was distinguished by the observation of particles whose existence had been predicted by theorists sometimes decades earlier. 2012 March-April, Jeremy Bernstein, “A Palette of Particles”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 146:
To see someone or something clearly or distinctly.
(reflexive, transitive) To make noticeably different or better from others through accomplishments.
- The soldier distinguished himself in combat and received a medal.
- 1784: William Jones, The Description and Use of a New Portable Orrery, &c., PREFACE THE favourable reception the Orrery has met with from Perſons of the firſt diſtinction, and from Gentlemen and Ladies in general, has induced me to add to it ſeveral new improvements in order to give it a degree of Perfection; and diſtinguiſh it from others; which by Piracy, or Imitation, may be introduced to the Public.
To confer an honor upon.
- The soldier was distinguished with a medal for his bravery.
(obsolete, transitive) To make to differ.
- For who diſtinguiſheth thee? 1749, The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. […] Newly reviſed, and corrected according to the Clementin Edition of the Scriptures (Douay–Rheims Bible, Challoner Revision), 1 Corinthians 4:7, page 317:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Source
distinguished	Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part	lexicographic
distinguished	Tense=Past	lexicographic
distinguishes	Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres	lexicographic
distinguishing	Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part	lexicographic

Translations (105)

ru различи́ть (to see someone or something as different from others) · ca distingir (to see someone or something as different from others) · uk розрізни́ти (to see someone or something as different from others) · izh eroittaa (to see someone or something as different from others) · la dignoscō (to see someone or something as different from others) · el διακρίνομαι (to make oneself noticeably different) · fi erottaa (to see someone or something as different from others) · pt distinguir (to see someone or something as different from others) · hy զանազանել (to see someone or something as different from others) · oc diferenciar (to see someone or something as different from others) · sq vre (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · ne छुट्ट्याउनु (to see someone or something as different from others) · tr ayırt etmek (to see someone or something as different from others) · ja 目立つ (to make oneself noticeably different) · tr ayırmak (to see someone or something as different from others) · ast distinguir (to see someone or something as different from others) · ru распозна́ть (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · uk розрізня́ти (to see someone or something as different from others) · ja 区別する (to see someone or something as different from others) · sh разазнати (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · uk відрізня́ти (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · sv utmärka (to make oneself noticeably different) · ro distinge (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · sq dallo (to see someone or something as different from others) · he הבחין (to see someone or something as different from others) · sh распознати (to see someone or something as different from others) · pl rozróżniać (to see someone or something as different from others) · fr distinguer (to make oneself noticeably different) · hu megkülönböztet (to see someone or something as different from others) · ru отличи́ть (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · fi erottua (to make oneself noticeably different) · cs rozeznat (to see someone or something as different from others) · nrf s'distîndgi (to make oneself noticeably different) · uk розпізнава́ти (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · fa تمایز داشتن (to see someone or something as different from others) · uk відрізня́ти (to see someone or something as different from others) · sv urskilja (to see someone or something as different from others) · ro recunoaște (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · he הִבְדִּיל (to see someone or something as different from others) · vi nhận ra (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · bg различа́вам (to see someone or something as different from others) · de unterscheiden (to see someone or something as different from others) · gd eadar-dhealaich (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · it distinguersi (to make oneself noticeably different) · oc distinguir (to see someone or something as different from others) · sv utmärka (to give an honor) · grc διακρίνω (to see someone or something as different from others) · uk відрізни́ти (to see someone or something as different from others) · cs rozlišit (to see someone or something as different from others) · ro distinge (to see someone or something as different from others) · tr temyiz etmek (to see someone or something as different from others) · ru отличи́ться (to make oneself noticeably different) · uk відзна́чи́тися (to make oneself noticeably different) · it discernere (to see someone or something as different from others) · la distinguō (to see someone or something as different from others) · gd comharraich (to make oneself noticeably different) · tr seçmek (to see someone or something as different from others) · bg отлича́вам (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · eo distingi (to see someone or something as different from others) · egy s-T:n-T14-G41 (to see someone or something as different from others) · pl rozróżnić (to see someone or something as different from others) · is greina (to see someone or something as different from others) · sq dukem (to make oneself noticeably different) · fr distinguer (to see someone or something as different from others) · ru различа́ть (to see someone or something as different from others) · fi tunnistaa (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · el διακρίνω (to see someone or something as different from others) · ota سچمك (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · sa वेवेक्ति (to see someone or something as different from others) · non greina (to see someone or something as different from others) · de sich auszeichnen (to make oneself noticeably different) · gl distinguir (to see someone or something as different from others) · la internoscō (to see someone or something as different from others) · de erkennen (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · fr distinguer (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · nrf distîndgi (to see someone or something as different from others) · uk відрізни́ти (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · uk відзнача́ти (to give an honor) · sq vë re (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · it distinguere (to see someone or something as different from others) · ja 感知する (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · nap dice (to see someone or something as different from others) · ko 구별하다 (to see someone or something as different from others) · uk розпізна́ти (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · sq pikas (to see someone or something as different from others) · ca distingir (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · ru отлича́ть (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · uk відзнача́тися (to make oneself noticeably different) · ka განსხვავება (to see someone or something as different from others) · ota سچمك (to see someone or something as different from others) · nl onderscheiden (to see someone or something as different from others) · vi phân biệt (to see someone or something as different from others) · es distinguir (to see someone or something as different from others) · cmn 辨別 /辨别 (to see someone or something as different from others) · ru отлича́ться (to make oneself noticeably different) · sh raspoznati (to see someone or something as different from others) · nrf distîndgi (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · dlm distenguar (to see someone or something as different from others) · fi erottua joukosta (to make oneself noticeably different) · uk відзна́чи́ти (to give an honor) · cmn 區別 /区别 (to see someone or something as different from others) · sh razaznati (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · ru распознава́ть (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · el διακρίνω (to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out) · el ξεχωρίζω (to see someone or something as different from others)

distinguish en · VERB

Pronunciation

Etymology

Meanings

Forms

Antonyms

Deriveds

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Synonyms

Translations (105)