distinct

[ dih-stingkt ]

adjective

1. distinguished as not being the same; not identical; separate (sometimes followed by from ):

   His private and public lives are distinct.

   Synonyms: individual, discrete

2. different in nature or quality; dissimilar (sometimes followed by from ):

   Gold is distinct from iron.

3. clear to the senses or intellect; plain; unmistakable:

   The ship appeared as a distinct silhouette.

   Synonyms: well-defined, sharp, unlike, distinguishable, disparate, different

   Antonyms: indistinct

4. distinguishing or perceiving clearly:

   distinct vision.

5. unquestionably exceptional or notable:

   a distinct honor.

6. Archaic. distinctively decorated or adorned.

distinct

/ dɪˈstɪŋkt /

adjective

1. easily sensed or understood; clear; precise
2. when postpositive, foll by from not the same (as); separate (from); distinguished (from)
3. not alike; different
4. sharp; clear
5. recognizable; definite

   a distinct improvement

6. explicit; unequivocal
7. maths logic (of a pair of entities) not identical
8. botany (of parts of a plant) not joined together; separate

Derived Forms

• disˈtinctness, noun
• disˈtinctly, adverb

Other Words From

• dis·tinctness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of distinct¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin distinctus, “divided off,” past participle of disting(u)ere “to divide off, pick out, distinguish,” from di- di- ² + sting(u)ere (unrecorded), presumably, “to prick, mark by pricking”; instinct ¹, instigate

Word History and Origins

Origin of distinct¹

C14: from Latin distinctus, from distinguere to distinguish

Example Sentences

She also said the lack of a distinct uniform and the title "physician" was giving rise to confusion as to whether the practitioner is a doctor.

From BBC

But a northern population of beaked hazelnuts revealed something surprising: five distinct genetic subgroups, four of which could be traced to far-flung locations across British Columbia, some 800 kilometers away.

From Science Magazine

Other defining characteristics include its distinct curvature and the fact that it could move around -- seen by trace fossils in the surrounding area.

From Science Daily

During a research study 30 years ago, mothers and their two small children interacted in a very distinct way, with all 3 people mutually engaged in exploring novel objects provided by the research team.

From Science Daily

"Once my code was fully tested and accurate, multiple trail formations became distinct and were easily understandable," Hartman said.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• discrete
• disparate
• dissimilar
• distinctive
• divergent
• diverse
• offbeat
• particular
• peculiar
• separate
• special
• specific
• unique
• various

When To Use

What are other ways to say distinct?

The adjective distinct is used to describe things that are clearly distinguished from others. How does distinct compare to synonyms different, various, and diverse? Find out on Thesaurus.com.