distinguish meaning and definition

DISTINGUISH verb

Definition of distinguish (verb)

1. mark as different
   • "We distinguish several kinds of maple"
   • synonyms: differentiate, secern, secernate, separate, severalise, severalize, tell, tell apart
2. detect with the senses
   • "The fleeing convicts were picked out of the darkness by the watchful prison guards"; "I can't make out the faces in this photograph"
   • synonyms: discern, make out, pick out, recognise, recognize, spot, tell apart
3. be a distinctive feature, attribute, or trait; sometimes in a very positive sense
   • "His modesty distinguishes him from his peers"
   • synonyms: differentiate, mark
4. make conspicuous or noteworthy
   • synonyms: signalise, signalize
5. identify as in botany or biology, for example
   • synonyms: describe, discover, identify, key, key out, name