difference
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also différence
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Middle English, from Old French difference, from Latin differentia (“difference”), from differens (“different”), present participle of differre
Pronunciation [edit]
Noun [edit]
difference (countable and uncountable; plural differences)
- (uncountable) The quality of being different.
- You need to learn to be more tolerant of difference.
- (countable) A characteristic of something that makes it different from something else.
- There are three differences between these two pictures.
- (countable) A disagreement or argument.
- (countable, uncountable) Significant change in or effect on a situation or state.
- It just won't make much difference to me.
- it just won't make much of a difference to anyone.
- 1908, Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
- The line of the horizon was clear and hard against the sky, and in one particular quarter it showed black against a silvery climbing phosphorescence that grew and grew. At last, over the rim of the waiting earth the moon lifted with slow majesty till it swung clear of the horizon and rode off, free of moorings; and once more they began to see surfaces--meadows wide-spread, and quiet gardens, and the river itself from bank to bank, all softly disclosed, all washed clean of mystery and terror, all radiant again as by day, but with a difference that was tremendous.
- (countable) The result of a subtraction; sometimes the absolute value of this result.
Synonyms [edit]
- (characteristic of something that makes it different from something else): departure, deviation, divergence
- (disagreement or argument about something important): conflict, difference of opinion, dispute, dissension
- (result of a subtraction): remainder
- (significant change in state): nevermind
Antonyms [edit]
Derived terms [edit]
Terms derived from the noun "difference"
Translations [edit]
quality of being different
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characteristic of something that makes it different from something else
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disagreement or argument about something important
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arithmetic: result of a subtraction
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
See also [edit]
- addition, summation: (augend) + (addend) = (summand) × (summand) = (sum, total)
- subtraction: (minuend) − (subtrahend) = (difference)
- multiplication: (multiplier) × (multiplicand) = (factor) × (factor) = (product)
- division: (dividend) ÷ (divisor) = (quotient), remainder left over if divisor does not divide dividend
Verb [edit]
difference (third-person singular simple present differences, present participle differencing, simple past and past participle differenced)
- (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought): (transitive) To distinguish or differentiate.
Synonyms [edit]
- (to distinguish or differentiate): differentiate, distinguish
Translations [edit]
to distinguish or differentiate
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Related terms [edit]
External links [edit]
- difference in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- difference in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
Old French [edit]
Alternative forms [edit]
Etymology [edit]
Latin differentia
Noun [edit]
difference f (oblique plural differences, nominative singular difference, nominative plural differences)
Descendants [edit]
- English: difference
- French: différence
