distinct - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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.

distinct (comparative distincter or more distinct, superlative distinctest or most distinct)

  1. Capable of being perceived very clearly.
    Her voice was distinct despite the heavy traffic.
    • 2013 July-August, Fenella Saunders, “Tiny Lenses See the Big Picture”, in American Scientist:
      The single-imaging optic of the mammalian eye offers some distinct visual advantages. Such lenses can take in photons from a wide range of angles, increasing light sensitivity. They also have high spatial resolution, resolving incoming images in minute detail.
  2. Different from one another (with the preferable adposition being "from").
    Horses are distinct from zebras.
    • 1928, Lawrence R. Bourne, chapter 13, in Well Tackled!‎[1]:
      “Yes, there are two distinct sets of footprints, both wearing rubber shoes—one I think ordinary plimsolls, the other goloshes,” replied the sergeant.
  3. Noticeably different from others; distinctive.
    Olga's voice is quite distinct because of her accent.
  4. Separate in place; not conjunct or united; with from.
  5. (obsolete) Distinguished; having the difference marked; separated by a visible sign; marked out; specified.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
      Wherever thus created — for no place / Is yet distinct by name.
  6. (obsolete) Marked; variegated.

very clear

different from one another

noticeably different

distinct (third-person singular simple present distincts, present participle distincting, simple past and past participle distincted)

  1. (obsolete, transitive) To distinguish; to make a distinction.
    • 1788, James McHenry, letter to George Washington, 27 July, in The Documentary History of the First Federal Elections 1788–1790, vol. 2, ed. Gordon DenBoer, University of Wisconsin Press, 1984, page 109:
      Here every means is made use of to do away all distincting between federal and antifederal and I suspect with no very friendly design to the federal cause.

Borrowed from Latin distinctus.

distinct (feminine distincte, masculine plural distincts, feminine plural distinctes)

  1. distinct; discrete (separate, distinguished, different)

Borrowed from French distinct, Latin distinctus.

distinct m or n (feminine singular distinctă, masculine plural distincți, feminine/neuter plural distincte)

  1. distinct