distinct

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dis·tinct

(dĭ-stĭngkt′)

adj.

1. Readily distinguishable from all others; discrete: on two distinct occasions.

2. Easily perceived by the senses: a distinct flavor.

3. Clearly defined; unquestionable: at a distinct disadvantage.

[Middle English, past participle of distincten, to distinguish, discern, from Old French destincter, from Latin distīnctus, past participle of distinguere, to distinguish; see distinguish.]

dis·tinct′ly adv.

dis·tinct′ness n.

Synonyms: distinct, discrete, separate, several
These adjectives mean distinguished from others in nature or qualities: six distinct colors; a company with six discrete divisions; a problem with two separate issues; executed several steps of the process. See Also Synonyms at apparent.

Usage Note: A thing is distinct if it is sharply distinguished from other things; a property or attribute is distinctive if it enables us to distinguish one thing from another. There are two distinct colors on the face of the Canada goose means that the two colors are clearly different from each other, while There are two distinctive colors on the face of the Canada goose means that the two colors are different from colors found on the faces of other birds, and the Canada goose may be identified by these two colors.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

distinct

(dɪˈstɪŋkt)

adj

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. (Mathematics) maths logic (of a pair of entities) not identical

8. (Botany) botany (of parts of a plant) not joined together; separate

[C14: from Latin distinctus, from distinguere to distinguish]

disˈtinctly adv

disˈtinctness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

dis•tinct

(dɪˈstɪŋkt)

adj.

1. distinguished as not being the same; separate.

2. different in nature or quality; dissimilar (sometimes fol. by from): Gold is distinct from iron.

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

4. unquestionably notable: a distinct honor.

5. Archaic. distinctively decorated.

[1350–1400; < Latin distinctus, past participle of disting(u)ere to divide off, pick out, distinguish (di- di-² + *sting(u)ere presumably, to prick, mark by pricking.]

dis•tinct′ly, adv.

dis•tinct′ness, n.

syn: See various.

distinct

– distinctive – distinguished

1. 'distinct'

If one thing is distinct from another, there is an important difference between them.

Our interests were quite distinct from those of the workers.

...a tree related to but quite distinct from the European beech.

You describe something as distinct when it is clear and definite.

I have the distinct feeling that my friend did not realize what was happening.

A distinct improvement had come about in their social outlook.

2. 'distinctive'

You use distinctive to describe things which have a special quality that makes them easy to recognize.

Irene had a very distinctive voice.

3. 'distinguished'

A distinguished person is very successful, famous, or important.

His grandfather had been a distinguished professor at the University.

Now, clean and tidily dressed, we stood watching the first distinguished visitors come trickling in.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.	1.	distinct - (often followed by `from') not alike; different in nature or quality; "plants of several distinct types"; "the word `nationalism' is used in at least two distinct senses"; "gold is distinct from iron"; "a tree related to but quite distinct from the European beech"; "management had interests quite distinct from those of their employees" distinguishable different - unlike in nature or quality or form or degree; "took different approaches to the problem"; "came to a different conclusion"; "different parts of the country"; "on different sides of the issue"; "this meeting was different from the earlier one"
	2.	distinct - easy to perceive; especially clearly outlined; "a distinct flavor"; "a distinct odor of turpentine"; "a distinct outline"; "the ship appeared as a distinct silhouette"; "distinct fingerprints" clear - readily apparent to the mind; "a clear and present danger"; "a clear explanation"; "a clear case of murder"; "a clear indication that she was angry"; "gave us a clear idea of human nature" definite - precise; explicit and clearly defined; "I want a definite answer"; "a definite statement of the terms of the will"; "a definite amount"; "definite restrictions on the sale of alcohol"; "the wedding date is now definite"; "a definite drop in attendance" precise - sharply exact or accurate or delimited; "a precise mind"; "specified a precise amount"; "arrived at the precise moment" indistinct - not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand; "indistinct shapes in the gloom"; "an indistinct memory"; "only indistinct notions of what to do"
	3.	distinct - constituting a separate entity or part; "a government with three discrete divisions"; "on two distinct occasions" discrete separate - independent; not united or joint; "a problem consisting of two separate issues"; "they went their separate ways"; "formed a separate church"
	4.	distinct - recognizable; marked; "noticed a distinct improvement"; "at a distinct (or decided) disadvantage" decided definite - precise; explicit and clearly defined; "I want a definite answer"; "a definite statement of the terms of the will"; "a definite amount"; "definite restrictions on the sale of alcohol"; "the wedding date is now definite"; "a definite drop in attendance"
	5.	distinct - clearly or sharply defined to the mind; "clear-cut evidence of tampering"; "Claudius was the first to invade Britain with distinct...intentions of conquest"; "trenchant distinctions between right and wrong" clear-cut, trenchant clear - readily apparent to the mind; "a clear and present danger"; "a clear explanation"; "a clear case of murder"; "a clear indication that she was angry"; "gave us a clear idea of human nature"

distinct

adjective

1. different, individual, separate, disconnected, discrete, dissimilar, unconnected, unattached The book is divided into two distinct parts.
different similar, connected, identical, indistinct

2. striking, sharp, dramatic, stunning (informal), outstanding, bold, noticeable, well-defined to impart a distinct flavour with a minimum of cooking fat

3. definite, marked, clear, decided, obvious, sharp, plain, apparent, patent, evident, black-and-white, manifest, noticeable, conspicuous, clear-cut, unmistakable, palpable, recognizable, unambiguous, observable, perceptible, appreciable There was a distinct change in her attitude.
definite obscure, vague, unclear, fuzzy, indefinite, indistinct

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

distinct

adjective

1. Distinguished from others by nature or qualities:

discrete, separate, several, various.

2. Readily seen, perceived, or understood:

apparent, clear, clear-cut, crystal clear, evident, manifest, noticeable, observable, obvious, patent, plain, pronounced, visible.

3. Without any doubt:

clear, clear-cut, decided, definite, pronounced, unquestionable.

4. Clearly defined; not ambiguous:

clear, sharp, unambiguous, unequivocal, unmistakable.

Translations

Spanish / Español

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distinto evidente nítido claro definido

distinct

[dɪsˈtɪŋkt] ADJ

1. (= different) [types, species, groups] → diferente, distinto
the book is divided into two distinct parts → el libro está dividido en dos partes bien diferenciadas
distinct from → diferente a, distinto a
engineering and technology are disciplines quite distinct from one another → la ingeniería y la tecnología son disciplinas muy diferentes or distintas
as distinct from → a diferencia de

2. (= clear, definite) [shape, memory] → claro, definido; [image, sound] → claro, nítido; [increase, rise, fall] → marcado; [advantage, disadvantage] → claro, obvio; [possibility, improvement] → claro; [lack] → evidente; [flavour] → inconfundible
we noticed a distinct change in her attitude → notamos un claro cambio en su actitud
he had the distinct feeling that they were laughing at him → tuvo la clara sensación de que se estaban riendo de él
I got the distinct impression that → tuve la clara impresión de que ...
there is a distinct possibility that → existe una clara posibilidad de que ... + subjun
there are distinct signs of progress → existen señales evidentes or inconfundibles de progreso

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

distinct

(diˈstiŋkt) adjective

1. easily seen, heard or noticed. There are distinct differences between the two; Her voice is very distinct.claro, marcado, inconfundible

2. separate or different. Those two birds are quite distinct – you couldn't confuse them.distinto

diˈstinctly adverb

He pronounces his words very distinctly; I distinctly heard him tell you to wait!claramente

diˈstinctness noun

claridad

diˈstinction (-ʃən) noun

1. (the making of) a difference. He makes no distinction between male and female employees with regard to pay.distinción

2. a grade awarded that indicates outstanding ability or achievement. She passed her exams with distinction.sobresaliente

diˈstinctive (-tiv) adjective

different and easily identified. I recognized her from a long way off – she has a very distinctive walk!distintivo, característico

diˈstinctively adverb

distintivamente, característicamente

distinct

a. diferente; definido-a;

adv. definidamente; con diferencia, con precisión.

References in classic literature ?

It is evident in all but one case that all these sorts of movement are distinct each from each.

View in context

The whale, therefore, must see one distinct picture on this side, and another distinct picture on that side; while all between must be profound darkness and nothingness to him.

View in context

But, because I had already very clearly recognized in myself that the intelligent nature is distinct from the corporeal, and as I observed that all composition is an evidence of dependency, and that a state of dependency is manifestly a state of imperfection, I therefore determined that it could not be a perfection in God to be compounded of these two natures and that consequently he was not so compounded; but that if there were any bodies in the world, or even any intelligences, or other natures that were not wholly perfect, their existence depended on his power in such a way that they could not subsist without him for a single moment.

For how do we know that the thoughts which occur in dreaming are false rather than those other which we experience when awake, since the former are often not less vivid and distinct than the latter?

For if it happened that an individual, even when asleep, had some very distinct idea, as, for example, if a geometer should discover some new demonstration, the circumstance of his being asleep would not militate against its truth; and as for the most ordinary error of our dreams, which consists in their representing to us various objects in the same way as our external senses, this is not prejudicial, since it leads us very properly to suspect the truth of the ideas of sense; for we are not infrequently deceived in the same manner when awake; as when persons in the jaundice see all objects yellow, or when the stars or bodies at a great distance appear to us much smaller than they are.

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Now it is evident that each of the modes of imitation above mentioned will exhibit these differences, and become a distinct kind in imitating objects that are thus distinct.

View in context

The French naturalists have considered the black variety a distinct species, and called it Lepus Magellanicus.

Molina, from a similarity in habits, thought that thi was the same with his "culpeu;" [7] but I have seen both and they are quite distinct. These wolves are well know from Byron's account of their tameness and curiosity, whic the sailors, who ran into the water to avoid them, mistoo for fierceness.

View in context

On examining the first relation, it appears, on one hand, that the Constitution is to be founded on the assent and ratification of the people of America, given by deputies elected for the special purpose; but, on the other, that this assent and ratification is to be given by the people, not as individuals composing one entire nation, but as composing the distinct and independent States to which they respectively belong.

The votes allotted to them are in a compound ratio, which considers them partly as distinct and coequal societies, partly as unequal members of the same society.

View in context

In monstrosities, the correlations between quite distinct parts are very curious; and many instances are given in Isidore Geoffroy St.

I think this must be admitted, when we find that there are hardly any domestic races, either amongst animals or plants, which have not been ranked by some competent judges as mere varieties, and by other competent judges as the descendants of aboriginally distinct species.

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