distinctive

[ dih-stingk-tiv ]

adjective

1. serving to distinguish; characteristic; distinguishing: distinguishing:

   the distinctive stripes of the zebra.

   Synonyms: individual

2. having a special quality, style, attractiveness, etc.; notable.

distinctive

/ dɪˈstɪŋktɪv /

adjective

1. serving or tending to distinguish
2. denoting one of a set of minimal features of a phoneme in a given language that serve to distinguish it from other phonemes. The distinctive features of /p/ in English are that it is voiceless, bilabial, non-nasal, and plosive; /b/ is voiced, bilabial, non-nasal, and plosive: the two differ by the distinctive feature of voice

Derived Forms

• disˈtinctively, adverb
• disˈtinctiveness, noun

Other Words From

• dis·tinctive·ly adverb
• dis·tinctive·ness noun
• subdis·tinctive adjective
• subdis·tinctive·ly adverb
• subdis·tinctive·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of distinctive¹

First recorded in 1575–85; from Medieval Latin distinctīvus; equivalent to distinct + -ive

Example Sentences

Making the role his own with his distinctive blend of solemn gravity and ironic urbanity, Parsons is the standout in the cast.

From Los Angeles Times

With the twin tornadoes, there’s this very distinctive red dirt look that we integrated into the debris field at the base of the tornado.

From Los Angeles Times

As I toured the show’s playful set, with its distinctive brightly-coloured staircase, I picked up a few clues as to how the director’s despair will be reflected this time around.

From BBC

The concert series, which rolled through five swing states in a distinctive purple bus, aimed to galvanize an estimated 4 million crypto owners into a unified political force before the 2024 election.

From Salon

Robert jokes that the distinctive blue jumpers and polo shirts, personalised with members' names, give them a "primary school" look, but they also carry an identity and a sense of belonging.

From BBC

Related Words

• cool
• extraordinary
• idiosyncratic
• offbeat
• original
• peculiar
• singular
• special
• weird