difference

A1 Topic:Numbers & Quantity

US /ˈdɪf(ə)ɹəns/ See IPA manual

Freq #1051

Meanings

1

noun
The way in which two or more things are not the same.

There are three differences between these two pictures.
2

noun
An effect or change that something has on a situation.

A good teacher can make a real difference to a child's life.
3

noun
A disagreement or argument between people.

We have our little differences, but we are firm friends.
4

noun
The amount left when one number is subtracted from another.

The difference between 3 and 21 is 18.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the way in which two or... disparity divergence

3 noun · a disagreement or argument... dispute disagreement

4 noun · the amount left when one... remainder

More differentiation differentness distinctiondistinguishednessdiversity nonidentityunidenticality

Opposites

identicalityidenticalness identity sameness

Word family

Forms differences

Derived forms antidifferencediffdifference-makerdifference-makingequidifferencenondifferencephotodifferenceundifferenced

Related forms differ different differential differentiate differentiation successor

Etymology

From Middle English difference, from Old French difference, from Latin differentia (“difference”), from differēns (“different”), present participle of differre. Doublet of differentia. Morphologically differ + -ence.

*bʰer- Proto-Indo-European difference Middle English differentia Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Numbers & Quantity Space, Position & Direction

External links

# difference

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈdɪf(ə)ɹəns/
**Frequency rank:** 1051

## Meanings
1. The way in which two or more things are not the same.
2. An effect or change that something has on a situation.
3. A disagreement or argument between people.
4. The amount left when one number is subtracted from another.

## Examples
- There are three differences between these two pictures.
- A good teacher can make a real difference to a child's life.
- We have our little differences, but we are firm friends.
- The difference between 3 and 21 is 18.

## Synonyms
- differentiation
- differentness
- distinction
- distinguishedness
- diversity
- nonidentity
- unidenticality

## Antonyms
- identicality
- identicalness
- identity
- sameness

## Derived Forms
- antidifference
- diff
- difference-maker
- difference-making
- equidifference
- nondifference
- photodifference
- undifferenced

## Related Forms
- differ
- different
- differential
- differentiate
- differentiation
- successor

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *bʰer-
- Root: difference
- Root: differentia
- Affix: -ence - state

## Etymology
From Middle English difference, from Old French difference, from Latin differentia (“difference”), from differēns (“different”), present participle of differre. Doublet of differentia. Morphologically differ + -ence.

## AI Etymology
difference comes from Middle English difference, from Old French difference, from Latin differentia (“difference”), from differēns (“different”), present participle of differre. Doublet of differentia. Morphologically differ + -ence. The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-, Middle English difference, Old French difference, Latin differentia. Current senses include The way in which two or more things are not the same and An effect or change that something has on a situation. English relatives and later formations include antidifference, diff, difference-maker, differ, different.

## Topics
- Numbers & Quantity
- Space, Position & Direction

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difference

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