Added 9 October 2026
distinction
/dɪˈstɪŋkʃən/ noun
In Latin: distinctiō Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about distinction at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
A discrimination between things as different and distinct on the basis of their characteristics or attributes.
it is necessary to make a distinction between love and infatuation
-
High status importance owing to marked superiority.
a scholar of great eminence
-
A distinguishing difference between similar things or people.
he learned the distinction between gold and lead
Origin
From Middle English distinccioun, from Old French distinction (attested from the 12th century), borrowed from Latin distinctiōnem, action noun of distinguō (“separate, distinguish”). By surface analysis, distinct (“to distinguish”) + -ion. Attested in English from the late 14th century.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)