adj · verb · 12 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
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/dɪˈstɪŋkt/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪŋkt
CMU ARPABET:D IH0 S T IH1 NG K T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Capable of being perceived very clearly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Her voice was distinct despite the heavy traffic.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Different from one another (with the preferable adposition being "from").
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Horses are distinct from zebras.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Noticeably different from others; distinctive.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Olga's voice is quite distinct because of her accent.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Separate in place; not conjunct or united; with from.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Distinguished; having the difference marked; separated by a visible sign; marked out; specified.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adj
Meaning 6
Marked; variegated.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To distinguish; to make a distinction.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
adjective
Meaning 8
easy to perceive; especially clearly outlined
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a distinct flavor
a distinct odor of turpentine
a distinct outline
the ship appeared as a distinct silhouette
distinct fingerprints
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: indistinct
9
adjective satellite
Meaning 9
clearly or sharply defined to the mind
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
clear-cut evidence of tampering
Claudius was the first to invade Britain with distinct...intentions of conquest
trenchant distinctions between right and wrong
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: clear-cut, trenchant
Antonyms: none provided
10
adjective satellite
Meaning 10
recognizable; marked
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
noticed a distinct improvement
at a distinct (or decided) disadvantage
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: decided
Antonyms: none provided
11
adjective satellite
Meaning 11
(often followed by `from') not alike; different in nature or quality
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
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
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: distinguishable
Antonyms: none provided
12
adjective satellite
Meaning 12
constituting a separate entity or part
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a government with three discrete divisions
on two distinct occasions
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: discrete
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English distincte, past participle of distincten (“to distinguish, discern”), from Old French destincter, from Latin distinctus, past participle of distinguere (“to distinguish”); see distinguish.
Across languages
Translations
99 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Basque:
garbi
— very clear
Bulgarian:
ясен
(jasen)
— very clear
Bulgarian:
отчетлив
(otčetliv)
— very clear
Catalan:
distint
— very clear
Chinese Mandarin:
明顯 /明显
(míngxiǎn)
— very clear
Chinese Mandarin:
清晰
(qīngxī)
— very clear
Czech:
zřetelný
— very clear
Old Czech:
zřětedlný
— very clear
Danish:
tydelig
— very clear
Danish:
distinkt
— very clear
Finnish:
selkeä
— very clear
Finnish:
erottuva
— very clear
Finnish:
kuuluva
— very clear
French:
distinct
— very clear
French:
intelligible
— very clear
Galician:
distinto
— very clear
German:
deutlich
— very clear
Ancient Greek:
σαφής
(saphḗs)
— very clear
Ancient Greek:
τρανής
(tranḗs)
— very clear
Italian:
chiaro
— very clear
Japanese:
明白な
(meihaku na)
— very clear
Latin:
distīnctus
— very clear
Latin:
nobilis
— very clear
Māori:
mataaho
— very clear
Norwegian Bokmål:
distinkt
— very clear
Norwegian Nynorsk:
distinkt
— very clear
Portuguese:
distinto
— very clear
Romanian:
distinct
— very clear
Russian:
разбо́рчивый
(razbórčivyj)
— very clear
Russian:
отчётливый
(otčótlivyj)
— very clear
Russian:
я́сный
(jásnyj)
— very clear
Russian:
чёткий
(čótkij)
— very clear
Spanish:
distinto
— very clear
Swedish:
tydlig
— very clear
Ukrainian:
чітки́й
(čitkýj)
— very clear
Ukrainian:
я́сний
(jásnyj)
— very clear
Ukrainian:
вира́зний
(vyráznyj)
— very clear
Bashkir:
башҡа
(başqa)
— different from one another
Bashkir:
төрлө
(törlö)
— different from one another
Basque:
desberdin
— different from one another
Basque:
bestelako
— different from one another
Bulgarian:
отделен
(otdelen)
— different from one another
Bulgarian:
различен
(različen)
— different from one another
Catalan:
distint
— different from one another
Chinese Mandarin:
不同的
(bùtóng de)
— different from one another
Chinese Mandarin:
分明
(fēnmíng)
— different from one another
Danish:
forskellig
— different from one another
Danish:
distinkt
— different from one another
Estonian:
erinev
— different from one another
Finnish:
erilainen
— different from one another
French:
distinct
— different from one another
Hebrew:
מֻבְחָן
(muvẖán)
— different from one another
Hebrew:
נִבְדָּל
(nivdál)
— different from one another
Hindi:
भिन्न
(bhinn)
— different from one another
Irish:
ar leith
— different from one another
Irish:
leithleach
— different from one another
Italian:
distinto
— different from one another
Italian:
diverso
— different from one another
Japanese:
異なる
(kotonaru)
— different from one another
K'iche':
jalajoj
— different from one another
Latin:
distīnctus
— different from one another
Mirandese:
çtinto
— different from one another
Norwegian Bokmål:
distinkt
— different from one another
Norwegian Nynorsk:
distinkt
— different from one another
Pashto:
بېل
(bel)
— different from one another
Pashto:
جلا
(jëlâ)
— different from one another
Portuguese:
distinto
— different from one another
Romanian:
distinct
— different from one another
Russian:
отде́льный
(otdélʹnyj)
— different from one another
Russian:
разли́чный
(razlíčnyj)
— different from one another
Russian:
отли́чный
(otlíčnyj)
— different from one another
Spanish:
distinto
— different from one another
Ukrainian:
окре́мий
(okrémyj)
— different from one another
Ukrainian:
особли́вий
(osoblývyj)
— different from one another
Bashkir:
башҡа
(başqa)
— noticeably different
Bengali:
বিশেষ
(biśeś)
— noticeably different
Bulgarian:
особен
(osoben)
— noticeably different
Catalan:
distint
— noticeably different
Chinese Mandarin:
截然不同的
(jiérán bùtóng de)
— noticeably different
Chinese Mandarin:
獨特 /独特
(dútè)
— noticeably different
Danish:
tydelig adskilt
— noticeably different
Danish:
distinkt
— noticeably different
Estonian:
erisugune
— noticeably different
Estonian:
eristatav
— noticeably different
Finnish:
erottuva
— noticeably different
French:
reconnaissable
— noticeably different
Hindi:
विशेष
(viśeṣ)
— noticeably different
Hindi:
विशिष्ट
(viśiṣṭ)
— noticeably different
Indonesian:
khas
— noticeably different
Japanese:
無二の
(muni no)
— noticeably different
Norwegian Bokmål:
distinkt
— noticeably different
Norwegian Nynorsk:
distinkt
— noticeably different
Portuguese:
distinto
— noticeably different
Romanian:
distinct
— noticeably different
Russian:
осо́бый
(osóbyj)
— noticeably different
Russian:
осо́бенный
(osóbennyj)
— noticeably different
Spanish:
distinto
— noticeably different
Swedish:
distinkt
— noticeably different
Ukrainian:
особли́вий
(osoblývyj)
— noticeably different