distinct

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /dɪˈstɪŋkt/ See IPA manual

Freq #10064

Meanings

1

adj
Clearly different or separate from something else.

Horses are distinct from zebras.
2

adj
Clearly noticeable; easy to see, hear, or recognize.

Her voice was distinct despite the heavy traffic.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · clearly different or... different separate

2 adj · clearly noticeable; easy to... clear distinctive

More acute keen marked obvious sharp vivid

Opposites

confusing indistinct indistinguishable opaque same

Word family

Derived forms contradistinctdistinctifydistinctly distinctnessdistinctordistinctualnondistinctultradistinctundistinct

Related forms definite distinction distinctive distinguish distinguishable distinguisheddistinguishnessextinct

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

quite distinct
clearly different in nature or quality from something else

Adverb + adjective

Etymology

From Middle English distincte, past participle of distincten (“to distinguish, discern”), from Old French destincter, from Latin distinctus, past participle of distinguere (“to distinguish”); see distinguish.

distincte Middle English destincter Old French distinctus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# distinct

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈstɪŋkt/
**Frequency rank:** 10064

## Meanings
1. Clearly different or separate from something else.
2. Clearly noticeable; easy to see, hear, or recognize.

## Examples
- Horses are distinct from zebras.
- Her voice was distinct despite the heavy traffic.

## Synonyms
- acute
- keen
- marked
- obvious
- sharp
- vivid

## Antonyms
- confusing
- indistinct
- indistinguishable
- opaque
- same

## Derived Forms
- contradistinct
- distinctify
- distinctly
- distinctness
- distinctor
- distinctual
- nondistinct
- ultradistinct
- undistinct

## Related Forms
- definite
- distinction
- distinctive
- distinguish
- distinguishable
- distinguished
- distinguishness
- extinct

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: distincte
- Root: destincter
- Root: distinctus

## Etymology
From Middle English distincte, past participle of distincten (“to distinguish, discern”), from Old French destincter, from Latin distinctus, past participle of distinguere (“to distinguish”); see distinguish.

## AI Etymology
Distinct comes from Middle English distincte, past participle of distincten (“to distinguish, discern”), from Old French destincter, from Latin distinctus, past participle of distinguere (“to distinguish”); see distinguish. The historical chain includes distincte (Middle English), destincter (Old French), and distinctus (Latin). The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as contradistinct, distinctify, distinctly, and distinctness and related forms such as definite, distinction, and distinctive. In present use it covers clearly different or separate from something else and clearly noticeable; easy to see, hear, or recognize.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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