distant

[dis-tuhnt]

adjective

1. far off or apart in space; not near at hand; remote or removed (often followed byfrom ).

   a distant place; a town three miles distant from here.

2. apart or far off in time.

   distant centuries past.

3. remote or far apart in any respect.

   a distant relative.

4. reserved or aloof; not familiar or cordial.

   a distant greeting.

   Synonyms: withdrawn, cool

5. arriving from or going to a distance, as a communication, journey, etc..

   I have here a distant letter from Japan.

distant

/ ˈdɪstənt /

adjective

1. far away or apart in space or time

2. (postpositive) separated in space or time by a specified distance

3. apart in relevance, association, or relationship

   a distant cousin

4. coming from or going to a faraway place

   a distant journey

5. remote in manner; aloof

6. abstracted; absent

   a distant look

Other Word Forms

• distantly adverb
• distantness noun
• overdistant adjective
• overdistantly adverb
• quasi-distant adjective
• quasi-distantly adverb
• ultradistant adjective
• undistant adjective
• undistantly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of distant¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English dista(u)nt, from Anglo-French, from Latin distant-, stem of distāns “standing apart,” present participle of distāre “to stand apart,” from di- di- ² + stāre “to stand”; stand

Word History and Origins

Origin of distant¹

C14: from Latin distāre to be distant, from _dis- ¹ + stāre to stand

Example Sentences

The government's decision to set a distant date for the next round of talks, despite people being on a hunger strike, particularly made them angry, he added.

From BBC

But for most, it remains a distant dream.

From BBC

The first port of call is Santa Cruz de Tenerife and as the Avontuur approaches, the crew can hear the distant drums of the city's enormous carnival.

From BBC

The film focuses on two estranged sisters who reconnect with their distant father after the death of their mother.

From BBC

“We may be begging for workers from other nations in the not too distant future.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• far 
• far-flung 
• far-off 
• inaccessible 
• isolated 
• obscure 
• remote 
• removed 
• secluded