Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Readily distinguishable from all others; discrete.
  • adjective Easily perceived by the senses.
  • adjective Clearly defined; unquestionable.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Distinguished; not identical; not the same; separate; specifically, marked off; discretely different from another or others, or from one another.
  • Clearly distinguishable by sense; that may be plainly perceived; well defined; not blurred or indeterminate: as, a distinct view of an object; distinct articulation; to make a distinct mark or impression.
  • Clearly distinguishable by the mind; unmistakable; indubitable; positive: as, a distinct assertion, promise, or falsehood.
  • Very plain and intelligible in thought or expression.
  • Distinguishing clearly; capable of receiving or characterized by definite impressions; not confused or obscure: as, distinct vision; distinct perception of right and wrong.
  • Decorated; adorned.
  • Synonyms Separate, etc. See different.
  • 2 and Well marked, plain, obvious, unmistakable. See distinctly.
  • To make distinct; distinguish.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb obsolete To distinguish.
  • adjective obsolete Distinguished; having the difference marked; separated by a visible sign; marked out; specified.
  • adjective obsolete Marked; variegated.
  • adjective Separate in place; not conjunct; not united by growth or otherwise; -- with from.
  • adjective Not identical; different; individual.
  • adjective So separated as not to be confounded with any other thing; not liable to be misunderstood; not confused; well-defined; clear.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Very clear.
  • adjective Different from one another (with the preferable adposition being "from")
  • adjective Noticeably different.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective constituting a separate entity or part
  • adjective recognizable; marked
  • adjective clearly or sharply defined to the mind
  • adjective easy to perceive; especially clearly outlined
  • adjective (often followed by `from') not alike; different in nature or quality

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

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

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin distinctus, past participle of distinguere ("to distinguish"); see distinguish.

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Examples

  • The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employs the same concept for Pacific trout and for bull trout but uses the term distinct population segment DPS instead of ESU.

    Trout and Salmon of North America Robert J. Behnke 2002

  • The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employs the same concept for Pacific trout and for bull trout but uses the term distinct population segment DPS instead of ESU.

    Trout and Salmon of North America Robert J. Behnke 2002

  • The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employs the same concept for Pacific trout and for bull trout but uses the term distinct population segment DPS instead of ESU.

    Trout and Salmon of North America Robert J. Behnke 2002

  • The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employs the same concept for Pacific trout and for bull trout but uses the term distinct population segment DPS instead of ESU.

    Trout and Salmon of North America Robert J. Behnke 2002

  • What Greenwald is pointing out is that "Christianist" is a term distinct from "Christian terrorist."

    Why not engage with me instead of trying to make me into your enemy? Ann Althouse 2006

  • Use in the Title Page (and on the covers, if any) a title distinct from that of the Document, and from those of previous versions

    How To Think Like a Computer Scientist, Learning with Python Downey, Allen 2000

  • There are, for example, the facts of outer appearance, modified in our reception of them by what we know as distinct from what we really see.

    The Gate of Appreciation Studies in the Relation of Art to Life Carleton Eldredge Noyes 1911

  • Under questioning by Deputy District Attorney Michael Hestrin, Engel went through what he called distinct phases of arson device development, under the view that all the fires in the series were set by one person.

    PE Angels Baseball 2009

  • (and on the covers, if any) a title distinct from that of the Document, and from those of previous versions (which should, if there were any, be listed in the History section of the Document).

    Recently Uploaded Slideshows 2009

  • To clarify, what King is noting here is distinct from the Missale Omnium Offerentium heretofore mentioned, and published as a smaller missal.

    The Mozarabic Rite: The Two Missals 2009

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