distinguishing

[ dih-sting-gwi-shing ]

SEE DEFINITION OF distinguishing

adj.distinctive

Synonyms for distinguishing

MOST RELEVANT

EXAMPLES FROM THE WEB FOR DISTINGUISHING

Then I again regretted my grandfather's too distinguishing goodness to me.

And then a history, distinguishing the books by the names of their subjects.

The distinguishing device of civilization and enlightenment.

I hope you don't omit the distinguishing initials when you sign your letters?

Exactly the same quality must be acknowledged as distinguishing the genius.

The geologist distinguishes, and in distinguishing connects them.

The wild flowers of August have their own distinguishing characteristics.

It was incapable of distinguishing between words and things.

Courage and resolution were his distinguishing characteristics.

Obviously, there is no difficulty to the practised eye in distinguishing them.

WORD ORIGIN

1560s, from Middle French distinguiss-, stem of distinguer, or directly from Latin distinguere "to separate between, separate by pricking," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + -stinguere "to prick" (see extinguish, and cf. Latin instinguere "to incite, impel").

The suffix -ish is due to the influence of many verbs in which it is the equivalent of Old French -iss-, ultimately from Latin inchoative suffix -iscere (this is also the case in extinguish, admonish, and astonish). Related: Distinguishing. The earlier form of the verb was distinguen (mid-14c.).