noun · 8 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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/dɪˈstɪŋkʃən/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:D IH0 S T IH1 NG K SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
That which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
There is a distinction to be made between resting and slacking.
We must always make a distinction that right versus wrong is different from legal and illegal.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A feature that causes someone or something to stand out from others of its type.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A feature that causes someone or something to stand out from others of its type.
A feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; the quality of being distinguished.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, specifically, uncountable
Examples
She had the distinction of meeting the Queen.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
a distinguishing difference
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he learned the distinction between gold and lead
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: difference
6
noun
Meaning 6
a distinguishing quality
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
it has the distinction of being the cheapest restaurant in town
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: quality
7
noun
Meaning 7
a discrimination between things as different and distinct
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
it is necessary to make a distinction between love and infatuation
high status importance owing to marked superiority
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a scholar of great eminence
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: eminence, preeminence, note
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: high status
Narrower terms: king
History
Etymology
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.
Across languages
Translations
71 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
разлика
(razlika)
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Bulgarian:
разли́чие
(razlíčie)
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Catalan:
distinció
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Chinese Mandarin:
分別 /分别
(fēnbié)
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Czech:
rozdíl
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Dutch:
onderscheiding
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Dutch:
distinctie
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Esperanto:
distingo
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Finnish:
ero
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
French:
distinction
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
French:
différence
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Georgian:
განსხვავება
(gansxvaveba)
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Georgian:
სხვაობა
(sxvaoba)
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
German:
Unterschied
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Greek:
διάκριση
(diákrisi)
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Ancient Greek:
διορισμός
(diorismós)
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Hungarian:
különbözőség
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Hungarian:
különbség
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Hungarian:
elkülönülés
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Hungarian:
megkülönböztető/egyéni jegy/jelleg/vonás
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Japanese:
区別
(kubetsu)
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Japanese:
違い
(chigai)
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Latin:
distinctiō
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Norwegian:
distinksjon
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Polish:
różnica
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Portuguese:
distinção
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Romanian:
distincție
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Romanian:
deosebire
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Romanian:
diferență
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Romanian:
distingere
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Russian:
разли́чие
(razlíčije)
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Russian:
отли́чие
(otlíčije)
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Russian:
ра́зница
(ráznica)
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Sanskrit:
विशेष
(viśeṣa)
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Scottish Gaelic:
eadar-dhealachadh
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Slovak:
rozlíšenie
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Spanish:
distinción
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Swedish:
distinktion
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Swedish:
skillnad
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Tocharian B:
wakītsñe
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Turkish:
ayrım
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Turkish:
fark
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Turkish:
farklılık
— that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination
Arabic:
تَمْيِيْز
(tamyīz)
— the act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination
Bulgarian:
разграниче́ние
(razgraničénie)
— the act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination
Catalan:
distinció
— the act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination
Finnish:
ero
— the act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination
German:
Distinktion
— the act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination
Hungarian:
különbségtétel
— the act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination
Hungarian:
megkülönböztetés
— the act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination
Hungarian:
distinkció
— the act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination
Norwegian:
forskjell
— the act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination
Romanian:
distingibilitate
— the act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination
Russian:
разграниче́ние
(razgraničénije)
— the act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination
Scottish Gaelic:
eadar-dhealachadh
— the act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination
Swedish:
åtskillnad
— the act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination
Bulgarian:
отли́чие
(otlíčie)
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
Czech:
vyznamenání
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
Finnish:
kunnia
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
German:
Auszeichnung
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
Greek:
διάκριση
(diákrisi)
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
Hungarian:
kitüntetés
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
Hungarian:
kiválóság
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
Hungarian:
kitűnőség
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
Polish:
odznaczenie
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
Polish:
wyróżnienie
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
Portuguese:
distinção
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
Russian:
отли́чие
(otlíčije)
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
Spanish:
distinción
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
Spanish:
prestancia
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
Ottoman Turkish:
شان
(şan)
— specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished
