different

A1 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled diffunt

US /ˈdɪfɝənt/ UK /ˈdɪ.fə.ɹənt/ See IPA manual

Freq #406

Meanings

1

adj
Not the same as another or as before.

They took different approaches to the problem.
2

adj
Separate or distinct; not the same one.

Each student interviewed a different member of the community.
3

adj
Unusual or unlike most others, in an interesting way.

What do you think of my new haircut? Well, it's certainly different.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 adj · separate or distinct; not... separate distinct

3 adj · unusual or unlike most... unusual

More differing dissimilar diverse other unalike unlike

Opposites

identical similar

Word family

Forms différents

Derived forms diffabilitydifferential differentiation differently differentnessequidifferentnondifferentserodifferent

Related forms differ difference differentiate distinct indifferent separate

Appears in

Phrases (3)

See all

slightly different
not exactly the same, but varying only a little

Adverb + adjective
materially different
Different in physical form or material conditions.

Adverb + adjective
radically different
different in a fundamental or far-reaching way

Adverb + adjective

Proverbs (8)

See all

Simplified etymology

Different entered English in the late Middle English period and ultimately comes from a form of Latin differre, which meant both “differ” and “defer.” The same Latin verb is the source of English differ and defer.

Etymology

From Middle English different, from Old French different, from Latin differēns, present active participle of differō (“to differ”). See also differ. Supplanted native Old English ungelic (whence modern English unalike).

*bʰer- Proto-Indo-European different Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# different

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈdɪfɝənt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈdɪ.fə.ɹənt/
**Frequency rank:** 406

## Meanings
1. Not the same as another or as before.
2. Separate or distinct; not the same one.
3. Unusual or unlike most others, in an interesting way.

## Examples
- They took different approaches to the problem.
- Each student interviewed a different member of the community.
- What do you think of my new haircut? Well, it's certainly different.

## Synonyms
- differing
- dissimilar
- diverse
- other
- unalike
- unlike

## Antonyms
- identical
- similar

## Derived Forms
- diffability
- differential
- differentiation
- differently
- differentness
- equidifferent
- nondifferent
- serodifferent

## Related Forms
- differ
- difference
- differentiate
- distinct
- indifferent
- separate

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *bʰer-
- Root: different

## Etymology
From Middle English different, from Old French different, from Latin differēns, present active participle of differō (“to differ”). See also differ. Supplanted native Old English ungelic (whence modern English unalike).

## AI Etymology
different comes from Middle English different, from Old French different, from Latin differēns, present active participle of differō (“to differ”). See also differ. Supplanted native Old English ungelic (whence modern English unalike). The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-, Middle English different, Old French different. Current senses include Not the same as another or as before and Separate or distinct; not the same one. English relatives and later formations include diffability, differential, differentiation, differ, difference.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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