distinction

1 a discrimination between things as different and distinct; "it is necessary to make a distinction between love and infatuation" [syn: differentiation]

2 high status importance owing to marked superiority; "a scholar of great eminence" [syn: eminence, preeminence, note]

3 a distinguishing quality; "it has the distinction of being the cheapest restaurant in town"

4 a distinguishing difference; "he learned the distinction between gold and lead"

English

Etymology

From distinction, from distinctionem, from distinguere ‘distinguish’.

Pronunciation

• /dɪˈstɪŋkʃən/

Noun

1. That which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor.
2. The state of being distinguishable.
3. A feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; being distinguished.

Derived terms

• contradistinction

Related terms

• a distinction without a difference

Translations

French

Etymology

distinctionem, from distinguere ‘distinguish’.

Pronunciation

• /distɛ̃ksjɔ̃/

Noun

fr-noun f

1. distinction (difference, honour)

• Distinction, the fundamental philosophical abstraction, involves the recognition of two or more things being distinct, i.e. different.
• Distinction (social) is a social force that places different values on different individuals. (social, class, and style)
• Distinction (law) is a principle under international humanitarian law governing the legal use of force in an armed conflict.
• For Pierre Bourdieu's book, "Distinction", see La distinction.
• Distinción'', the practice in Spanish of separating the phonemes /s/ and /θ/. See Ceceo.
• Distinction - a high grade awarded to students whose assessed work is of exceptional quality.

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