differentia

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 See also

[edit] English

Wikipedia

[edit] Etymology

From Latin differentia.

[edit] Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /dɪfəˈɹɛnʃɪə/

[edit] Noun

differentia (plural differentiae)

1. (semantics, logic) A distinguishing feature which marks something off from other members of the same family.
   • 1902, William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience, Folio Society 2008, p. 38:

     That character, it seems to me, should be regarded as the practically important differentia of religion for our purpose.

   • 1928, E. M. Edghill, Categories, translation of original by Aristotle:

     If genera are different and co-ordinate, their differentiae are themselves different in kind. Take as an instance the genus ‘animal’ and the genus ‘knowledge’. ‘With feet’, ‘two-footed’, ‘winged’, ‘aquatic’, are differentiae of ‘animal’; the species of knowledge are not distinguished by the same differentiae.

2. (taxonomy) The attribute that distinguishes a species from others of the same genus

[edit] See also

• criterion
• definiendum