adj · noun · 11 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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/dɪˈstɪŋktɪv/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:D IH0 S T IH1 NG K T IH0 V
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Distinguishing, used to or enabling the distinguishing of some thing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
a product in distinctive packaging
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Discriminating, discerning, having the ability to distinguish between things.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Characteristic, typical.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
his distinctive bass voice
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Distinguished, being distinct in character or position.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Used to separate clauses in place of stops.
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 distinctive belief, tenet, or dogma of a denomination or sect.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: lifestyle, religion, theology
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
adjective satellite
Meaning 10
of a feature that helps to distinguish a person or thing- Curtis Wilkie
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Jerusalem has a distinctive Middle East flavor
that is typical of you!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: typical
Antonyms: none provided
11
adjective satellite
Meaning 11
capable of being classified
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: classifiable
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Latin distinctus, perfect passive participle of distinguere (to push apart, to divide; see distinct) + -ive (forming adjectives signifying relation or tendency to). Cognate with French distinctif and Medieval Latin distinctivus.
Across languages
Translations
42 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
fərqli
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Bulgarian:
отличи́телен
(otličítelen)
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Catalan:
distintiu
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Danish:
distinktiv
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Danish:
særegen
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Finnish:
tunnusomainen
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Finnish:
erottava
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Finnish:
omaleimainen
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
French:
distinctif
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Galician:
distintivo
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
German:
unverkennbar
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Hungarian:
ismertető
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Māori:
kōhure
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Mongolian:
онцлогтой
(onclogtoj)
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Norwegian Bokmål:
særpreget
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Polish:
wyróżniający
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Polish:
odróżniający
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Romanian:
distinctiv
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Russian:
отличи́тельный
(otličítelʹnyj)
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Russian:
характе́рный
(xaraktérnyj)
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Russian:
характеристи́ческий
(xarakteristíčeskij)
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Russian:
дифференциа́льный
(differenciálʹnyj)
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Russian:
различи́тельный
(različítelʹnyj)
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Turkish:
farklı
— distinguishing — see also distinguishing
Bulgarian:
характерен
(harakteren)
— characteristic — see also characteristic
Danish:
karakteristisk
— characteristic — see also characteristic
Finnish:
tyypillinen
— characteristic — see also characteristic
Finnish:
luonteenomainen
— characteristic — see also characteristic
Finnish:
persoonallinen
— characteristic — see also characteristic
German:
kennzeichnend
— characteristic — see also characteristic
German:
charakteristisch
— characteristic — see also characteristic
German:
unverwechselbar
— characteristic — see also characteristic
German:
ausgeprägt
— characteristic — see also characteristic
Norwegian Bokmål:
særpreget
— characteristic — see also characteristic
Polish:
charakterystyczny
— characteristic — see also characteristic
Russian:
осо́бенный
(osóbennyj)
— characteristic — see also characteristic
Russian:
осо́бый
(osóbyj)
— characteristic — see also characteristic
Russian:
характе́рный
(xaraktérnyj)
— characteristic — see also characteristic
Russian:
типи́чный
(tipíčnyj)
— characteristic — see also characteristic
Spanish:
distintivo
— characteristic — see also characteristic
Spanish:
definitorio
— characteristic — see also characteristic
Spanish:
característico
— characteristic — see also characteristic
