indistinguishability

C2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˌɪndɪˌstɪŋɡwɪʃəˈbɪləti/ UK /ˌɪndɪˌstɪŋɡwɪʃəˈbɪləti/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the quality or state of being impossible to distinguish from something else

The near indistinguishability of the two signatures made the forgery difficult to detect.
2

noun
in quantum physics, the principle that exchanging identical particles produces no physically observable new state

Electron indistinguishability requires the wave function to respect exchange symmetry.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the quality or state of... indiscernibility sameness identity

2 noun · in quantum physics, the... particle identity

More equivalence

Opposites

distinguishabilitydiscernibilitydistinctness difference

Word family

Derived forms indistinguishable indistinguishably

Related forms distinguish distinction indiscernibilityexchange symmetry

Etymology

From indistinguishable + -ity: in- ("not") + distinguish + -able + -ity. Distinguish comes through Old French distinguer from Latin distinguere ("separate, mark off"). Physics later adopted the noun for the principle that exchanging identical particles creates no observable difference.

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# indistinguishability

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌɪndɪˌstɪŋɡwɪʃəˈbɪləti/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɪndɪˌstɪŋɡwɪʃəˈbɪləti/

## Meanings
1. the quality or state of being impossible to distinguish from something else
2. in quantum physics, the principle that exchanging identical particles produces no physically observable new state

## Examples
- The near indistinguishability of the two signatures made the forgery difficult to detect.
- Electron indistinguishability requires the wave function to respect exchange symmetry.

## Synonyms
- indiscernibility
- sameness
- identity
- equivalence

## Antonyms
- distinguishability
- discernibility
- distinctness
- difference

## Derived Forms
- indistinguishable
- indistinguishably

## Related Forms
- distinguish
- distinction
- indiscernibility
- exchange symmetry

## Etymology
From indistinguishable + -ity: in- ("not") + distinguish + -able + -ity. Distinguish comes through Old French distinguer from Latin distinguere ("separate, mark off"). Physics later adopted the noun for the principle that exchanging identical particles creates no observable difference.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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