verb · 10 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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dĭ-stĭngʹgwĭsh
/dɪˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪŋɡwɪʃ
CMU ARPABET:D IH0 S T IH1 NG G W IH0 SH
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To recognize someone or something as different from others based on its characteristics.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
To see someone or something clearly or distinctly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: discern, make out
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To make noticeably different or better from others through accomplishments.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: reflexive, transitive
Examples
The soldier distinguished himself in combat and received a medal.
1784: William Jones, The Description and Use of a New Portable Orrery, &c., PREFACE THE favourable reception the Orrery has met with from Persons of the first distinction, and from Gentlemen and Ladies in general, has induced me to add to it several new improvements in order to give it a degree of Perfection; and distinguish it from others; which by Piracy, or Imitation, may be introduced to the Public.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To confer an honor upon.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The soldier was distinguished with a medal for his bravery.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To make to differ.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
From Middle English distingwen, from Old French distinguer, from Latin distinguere (“to separate, divide, distinguish, set off, adorn, literally mark off”), from di-, dis- (“apart”) + stinguere, related to English stink. Compare extinguish.
Across languages
Translations
102 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
pikas
— to see someone or something as different from others
Albanian:
dallo
— to see someone or something as different from others
Armenian:
զանազանել
(zanazanel)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Asturian:
distinguir
— to see someone or something as different from others
Bulgarian:
различа́вам
(različávam)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Catalan:
distingir
— to see someone or something as different from others
Chinese Mandarin:
區別 /区别
(qūbié)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Chinese Mandarin:
辨別 /辨别
(biànbié)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Czech:
rozlišit
— to see someone or something as different from others
Czech:
rozeznat
— to see someone or something as different from others
Dalmatian:
distenguar
— to see someone or something as different from others
Dutch:
onderscheiden
— to see someone or something as different from others
Egyptian:
s-T:n-T14-G41
(sṯn)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Esperanto:
distingi
— to see someone or something as different from others
Finnish:
erottaa
— to see someone or something as different from others
French:
distinguer
— to see someone or something as different from others
Galician:
distinguir
— to see someone or something as different from others
Georgian:
განსხვავება
(gansxvaveba)
— to see someone or something as different from others
German:
unterscheiden
— to see someone or something as different from others
Greek:
ξεχωρίζω
(xechorízo)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Greek:
διακρίνω
(diakríno)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Ancient Greek:
διακρίνω
(diakrínō)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Hebrew:
הבחין
(hivkhín)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Hungarian:
megkülönböztet
— to see someone or something as different from others
Icelandic:
greina
— to see someone or something as different from others
Ingrian:
eroittaa
— to see someone or something as different from others
Italian:
distinguere
— to see someone or something as different from others
Italian:
discernere
— to see someone or something as different from others
Japanese:
区別する
(kubetsu-suru)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Korean:
구별하다
(gubyeolhada)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Latin:
internoscō
— to see someone or something as different from others
Latin:
distinguō
— to see someone or something as different from others
Latin:
dignoscō
— to see someone or something as different from others
Neapolitan:
dice
— to see someone or something as different from others
Nepali:
छुट्ट्याउनु
(chuṭṭyāunu)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Norman:
distîndgi
— to see someone or something as different from others
Occitan:
distinguir
— to see someone or something as different from others
Occitan:
diferenciar
— to see someone or something as different from others
Old Norse:
greina
— to see someone or something as different from others
Persian:
تمایز داشتن
(tamāyoz dāštan)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Polish:
rozróżniać
— to see someone or something as different from others
Polish:
rozróżnić
— to see someone or something as different from others
Portuguese:
distinguir
— to see someone or something as different from others
Romanian:
distinge
— to see someone or something as different from others
Russian:
различа́ть
(različátʹ)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Russian:
различи́ть
(različítʹ)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Sanskrit:
वेवेक्ति
(vevekti)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Serbo-Croatian:
распознати
— to see someone or something as different from others
Serbo-Croatian:
raspoznati
— to see someone or something as different from others
Spanish:
distinguir
— to see someone or something as different from others
Swedish:
urskilja
— to see someone or something as different from others
Turkish:
ayırt etmek
— to see someone or something as different from others
Turkish:
ayırmak
— to see someone or something as different from others
Turkish:
seçmek
— to see someone or something as different from others
Turkish:
temyiz etmek
— to see someone or something as different from others
Ukrainian:
розрізня́ти
(rozriznjáty)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Ukrainian:
розрізни́ти
(rozriznýty)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Ukrainian:
відрізня́ти
(vidriznjáty)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Ukrainian:
відрізни́ти
(vidriznýty)
— to see someone or something as different from others
Vietnamese:
phân biệt
— to see someone or something as different from others
Albanian:
vë re
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Albanian:
vre
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Bulgarian:
отлича́вам
(otličávam)
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Catalan:
distingir
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Finnish:
tunnistaa
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
French:
distinguer
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
German:
erkennen
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Greek:
διακρίνω
(diakríno)
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Japanese:
感知する
(kanchi-suru)
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Norman:
distîndgi
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Romanian:
distinge
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Romanian:
recunoaște
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Russian:
отлича́ть
(otličátʹ)
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Russian:
отличи́ть
(otličítʹ)
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Russian:
распознава́ть
(raspoznavátʹ)
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Russian:
распозна́ть
(raspoznátʹ)
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Scottish Gaelic:
eadar-dhealaich
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Serbo-Croatian:
разазнати
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Serbo-Croatian:
razaznati
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Ukrainian:
відрізня́ти
(vidriznjáty)
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Ukrainian:
відрізни́ти
(vidriznýty)
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Ukrainian:
розпізнава́ти
(rozpiznaváty)
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Ukrainian:
розпізна́ти
(rozpiznáty)
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Vietnamese:
nhận ra
— to see someone or something clearly or distinctly — see also discern, make out
Albanian:
dukem
— to make oneself noticeably different
Finnish:
erottua
— to make oneself noticeably different
Finnish:
erottua joukosta
— to make oneself noticeably different
French:
distinguer
— to make oneself noticeably different
German:
sich auszeichnen
— to make oneself noticeably different
Greek:
διακρίνομαι
(diakrínomai)
— to make oneself noticeably different
Italian:
distinguersi
— to make oneself noticeably different
Japanese:
目立つ
(medatsu)
— to make oneself noticeably different
Norman:
s'distîndgi
— to make oneself noticeably different
Russian:
отлича́ться
(otličátʹsja)
— to make oneself noticeably different
Russian:
отличи́ться
(otličítʹsja)
— to make oneself noticeably different
Scottish Gaelic:
comharraich
— to make oneself noticeably different
Swedish:
utmärka
— to make oneself noticeably different
Ukrainian:
відзнача́тися
(vidznačátysja)
— to make oneself noticeably different
Ukrainian:
відзна́чи́тися
(vidznáčýtysja)
— to make oneself noticeably different
Swedish:
utmärka
— to give an honor
Ukrainian:
відзнача́ти
(vidznačáty)
— to give an honor
Ukrainian:
відзна́чи́ти
(vidznáčýty)
— to give an honor
