Standard Lemma guide

differential

adj · noun · 19 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • [dɪfəˈɹənʃəɫ]
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH2 F ER0 EH1 N SH AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of or pertaining to a difference.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • differential characteristics
  • I saved disk space by taking differential backups, which only stored the data that had changed.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Dependent on, or making a difference; distinctive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Having differences in speed or direction of motion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Of or pertaining to differentiation or the differential calculus.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The differential gear in an automobile, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A qualitative or quantitative difference between similar or comparable things.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

One of two coils of conducting wire so related to one another or to a magnet or armature common to both, that one coil produces polar action contrary to that of the other.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A form of conductor used for dividing and distributing the current to a series of electric lamps so as to maintain equal action in all.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A quantity representing an infinitesimal change in a variable, now only used as a heuristic aid except in nonstandard analysis but considered rigorous until the 20th century; a fluxion in Newtonian calculus, now usually written in Leibniz's notation as operatorname d!x.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: calculus, mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

A function giving the change in the linear approximation of f at a point x over a small interval Δx or operatorname d!x, the function being called the differential of f and denoted operatorname d!f(x,Δx), operatorname d!f(x), or simply operatorname d!f.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: calculus, mathematics, sciences

Examples

  • If f(x)#61;x2, the differential of f is the function #92;operatorname#123;d#125;#92;#33;f(x,#92;Deltax)#61;f'(x)#92;Deltax#61;2x#92;Deltax.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

A function giving the change in the linear approximation of f at a point x over a small interval Δx or operatorname d!x, the function being called the differential of f and denoted operatorname d!f(x,Δx), operatorname d!f(x), or simply operatorname d!f.

Any of several generalizations of this concept to functions of several variables or to higher orders: the partial differential, total differential, Gateaux differential, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: calculus, mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

The Jacobian matrix of a function of several variables.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

The pushforward or total derivative of φ: a linear map from the tangent space at a point x in φ's domain to the tangent space at φ(x) which is, in a technical sense, the best linear approximation of φ at x; denoted operatorname d!φx.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: differential geometry

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

noun

Meaning 14

Any of several generalizations of the concept(s) above: e.g. the Kähler differential in the setting of schemes, the quadratic differential in the theory of Riemann surfaces, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

adjective

Meaning 15

relating to or showing a difference

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • differential treatment

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

adjective

Meaning 16

involving or containing one or more derivatives

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • differential equation

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

noun

Meaning 17

a bevel gear that permits rotation of two shafts at different speeds; used on the rear axle of automobiles to allow wheels to rotate at different speeds on curves

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: differential gear

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bevel gear, pinion and crown wheel, pinion and ring gear

18

noun

Meaning 18

a quality that differentiates between similar things

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: difference

19

noun

Meaning 19

the result of mathematical differentiation; the instantaneous change of one quantity relative to another; df(x)/dx

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: derived function, derivative, differential coefficient, first derivative

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: calculation, computation, figuring, reckoning

Narrower terms: curvature, partial derivative, partial

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh1 Proto-Indo-European *d(w)is- Proto-Italic *dis- Latin dis- Proto-Indo-European *bher- Proto-Indo-European *bhéreti Proto-Italic *ferō Latin ferō Latin differō Latin differēns Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin differentia Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin differentiālislbor. English differential Learned borrowing from Latin differentiālis. By surface analysis, different + -ial.

Across languages

Translations

63 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: отличителен (otličitelen) — relating to a difference
  • Danish: forskels- — relating to a difference
  • Finnish: erityinen — relating to a difference
  • Finnish: erityis- — relating to a difference
  • Finnish: erotus- — relating to a difference
  • Greek: διαφορικός (diaforikós) — relating to a difference
  • Hindi: अवकल (avkal) — relating to a difference
  • Polish: różnicowy — relating to a difference
  • Spanish: diferencial — relating to a difference
  • Swedish: differens- — relating to a difference
  • Bulgarian: разграничителен (razgraničitelen) — dependent on, distinctive
  • Danish: differentieret — dependent on, distinctive
  • Finnish: riippuvainen — dependent on, distinctive
  • Finnish: erityinen — dependent on, distinctive
  • Finnish: erityis- — dependent on, distinctive
  • Greek: διάφορος (diáforos) — dependent on, distinctive
  • Finnish: erinopeuksinen — having differences in speed or direction
  • Finnish: erisuuntainen — having differences in speed or direction
  • Bulgarian: диференциален (diferencialen) — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Czech: diferenciální — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Danish: differential- — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Finnish: differentiaali- — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • French: différentiel — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • German: Differenzial — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Greek: διαφορικός (diaforikós) — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Hindi: अवकल (avkal) — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Hungarian: differenciál — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Ido: diferenciala — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Kazakh: дифференциалдық (differensialdyq) — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Polish: różniczkowy — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Portuguese: diferencial — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Russian: дифференциа́льный (differenciálʹnyj) — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Spanish: diferencial — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Swedish: differential- — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Tagalog: tingirin — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Turkish: diferansiyel — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Vietnamese: vi phân — relating to differentiation or differential calculus
  • Danish: forskel — difference between similar or comparable things
  • Finnish: ero — difference between similar or comparable things
  • Greek: διαφορικό (diaforikó) — difference between similar or comparable things
  • Indonesian: perbedaan — difference between similar or comparable things
  • Māori: pārōnaki — difference between similar or comparable things
  • Asturian: diferencial — infinitesimal change
  • Bulgarian: диференциал (diferencial) — infinitesimal change
  • Catalan: dferencial — infinitesimal change
  • Dutch: differentiaal — infinitesimal change
  • Finnish: differentiaali — infinitesimal change
  • French: différentielle — infinitesimal change
  • Galician: diferencial — infinitesimal change
  • Greek: διαφορικό (diaforikó) — infinitesimal change
  • Hebrew: דיפרנציאל (difrentziál) — infinitesimal change
  • Hungarian: differenciál — infinitesimal change
  • Ido: diferencialo — infinitesimal change
  • Indonesian: diferensial — infinitesimal change
  • Italian: differenziale — infinitesimal change
  • Norwegian Bokmål: differensial — infinitesimal change
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: differensial — infinitesimal change
  • Polish: różniczka — infinitesimal change
  • Portuguese: diferencial — infinitesimal change
  • Russian: дифференциа́л (differenciál) — infinitesimal change
  • Spanish: diferencial — infinitesimal change
  • Swedish: differential — infinitesimal change
  • Tagalog: tingid — infinitesimal change
Real reading context

differential in complete knowledge articles