distinct

distinct
[14] Etymologically, distinct is the past participle of distinguish. It comes from distraught 170 distinctus, past participle of Latin distinguere ‘separate, discriminate’ (source, via the present stem of Old French distinguer, of English distinguish [16]). This was a compound verb formed from the prefix dis- ‘apart’ and the verbal element -stinguere ‘prick, stick’, and hence meant originally ‘separate by pricking’ (-stinguere, related to English stick and instigate, is not found as an independent verb in Latin in the sense ‘prick’, but stinguere does occur in the remote metaphorical meaning ‘quench’ – a development mirrored in German ersticken ‘stifle, suffocate’ – which lies behind English extinct and extinguish). Distingué is an early 19th-century adoption of the past participle of French distinguer. => DISTINGUISH, EXTINCT, INSTIGATE, STICK

The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins. 2013.

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  • distinct — 1 Distinct, separate, several, discrete are comparable when used in reference to two or more things (sometimes persons) and in the sense of not being individually the same. Distinct always implies a capacity for being distinguished by the eye or… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • distinct — distinct, incte [ distɛ̃(kt), ɛ̃kt ] adj. • 1308; lat. distinctus, de distinguere 1 ♦ Qui ne se confond pas avec qqch. d analogue, de voisin. ⇒ autre, différent, indépendant, séparé. Problèmes, domaines distincts. « la politique n est pas… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • distinct — distinct, distinctive 1. Both words are related to the verb distinguish, but distinct means essentially ‘separate, different’ (The word has several distinct meanings) or ‘unmistakable, decided’ (She has a distinct impression of being watched),… …   Modern English usage

  • distinct — DISTÍNCT, Ă, distincţi, te, adj. 1. Care se deosebeşte prin anumite trăsături proprii de alte lucruri de acelaşi fel sau asemănătoare; deosebit, diferit. 2. (Adesea adverbial) Clar, evident, lămurit, desluşit. – Din fr. distinct, lat. distinctus …   Dicționar Român

  • Distinct — Dis*tinct , a. [L. distinctus, p. p. of distinguere: cf. F. distinct. See {Distinguish}.] 1. Distinguished; having the difference marked; separated by a visible sign; marked out; specified. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Wherever thus created for no place …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • distinct — I (clear) adjective apparent, clarus, clear cut, clear to the mind, clear to the senses, clearly defined, concrete, conspicuous, crystal clear, definite, distinctus, distinguishable, easily perceived, easily understood, eidetic, evident, explicit …   Law dictionary

  • distinct — distinct, te (di stin, stin kt ; il y a trois manières différentes de prononcer ce mot au masculin : les uns disent di stinkt , les autres di stink ; d autres enfin di stin ; cette dernière manière a pour elle l analogie ; c était celle du temps… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • distinct — [di stiŋkt′] adj. [ME & OFr < L distinctus, pp. of distinguere: see DISTINGUISH] 1. not alike; different 2. not the same; separate; individual 3. clearly perceived or marked off; clear; plain [a distinct image] 4. well defined; unmistakable;… …   English World dictionary

  • distinct — DISTINCT, INCTE. adject. Différent, séparé d un autre. Ce sont deux choses bien distinctes. Il faut que les articles d un compte soient bien distincts. [b]f♛/b] Il signifie aussi, Clair et net. Un son distinct, une voix distincte. Une vue… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • distinct — [adj1] apparent, obvious audible, categorical, clean cut, clear, clear cut, decided, definite, enunciated, evident, explicit, express, incisive, lucid, manifest, marked, noticeable, palatable, patent, perspicuous, plain, prescribed, recognizable …   New thesaurus

  • distinct — Distinct, [distin]cte. adj. v. Different, separé d un autre. Ce sont deux choses bien distinctes. il faut que les articles d un compte soient distincts. Il signifie aussi, Clair & net. Un son distinct. une voix distincte. une veüe distincte. en… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

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