different between describe vs distinguish

English

Etymology

From Middle English descriven, from Old French descrivre, from Latin d?scr?b? (“I copy off, transcribe, sketch off, describe in painting or writing”), from d? (“off”) + scr?b? (“write”); see scribe and shrive. Displaced native Old English ?mearcian.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d??sk?a?b/, /d?s?k?a?b/
• Rhymes: -a?b
• Hyphenation: de?scribe

Verb

describe (third-person singular simple present describes, present participle describing, simple past and past participle described)

1. (transitive) To represent in words.
   • 2014, Daniel Taylor, "Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk, November 2, 2014

     Yet the truth is that City would probably have been coasting by that point if the referee, Michael Oliver, had not turned down three separate penalties, at least two of which could be accurately described as certainties.
2. (transitive) To represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out.
   • 1826, James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans

     Uncas described an arc in the water with his own blade, and as the canoe passed swiftly on, Chingachgook recovered his paddle, and flourishing it on high, he gave the war-whoop of the Mohicans.

3. (transitive, mathematics) To give rise to a geometrical structure.

4. (transitive, taxonomy) To introduce a new taxon to science by explaining its characteristics and particularly how it differs from other taxa.

5. (obsolete) To distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class.

Synonyms

• (to represent in words): portray, betell, depict, report; see also Thesaurus:describe
• (to represent in writing): bewrite

Derived terms

• abovedescribed
• aforedescribed

Related terms

• describable
• description
• descriptive
• descriptivism
• descriptivist
• descriptor
• scribe

Translations

Further reading

• describe in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• describe in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• escribed

Latin

Verb

d?scr?be

1. second-person singular present active imperative of d?scr?b?

Scots

Etymology

From English describe.

Verb

describe (third-person singular present describes, present participle describin, past describit, past participle describit)

1. to describe

Spanish

Verb

describe

1. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present indicative form of describir.
2. Informal second-person singular (tú) affirmative imperative form of describir.

English

Etymology

From Middle English distingwen, from Old French distinguer, from Latin distinguere (“to separate, divide, distinguish, set off, adorn, literally mark off”), from di-, dis- (“apart”) + stinguere. Compare extinguish.

Pronunciation

• enPR: d?s-t?ng?gw?sh, IPA^(key): /d?s?t???w??/
• Rhymes: -???w??
• Hyphenation: dis?tin?guish

Verb

distinguish (third-person singular simple present distinguishes, present participle distinguishing, simple past and past participle distinguished)

1. To recognize someone or something as different from others based on its characteristics.

   Synonyms: differentiate, discriminate; see also Thesaurus:tell apart

   Antonym: confuse
2. To see someone or something clearly or distinctly.
3. To make oneself noticeably different or better from others through accomplishments.
   • 1784: William Jones, The Description and Use of a New Portable Orrery, &c., PREFACE

     THE favourable reception the Orrery has met with from Per?ons of the fir?t di?tinction, and from Gentlemen and Ladies in general, has induced me to add to it ?everal new improvements in order to give it a degree of Perfection; and di?tingui?h it from others; which by Piracy, or Imitation, may be introduced to the Public.

4. (transitive, obsolete) To make to differ.

Usage notes

In sense “see a difference”, more casual than differentiate or the formal discriminate; more casual is “tell the difference”.

Derived terms

• distinguished
• distinguishable
• distinguishing
• distinguishness
• undistinguishing

Related terms

• distinct
• distinction
• extinguish

Translations

Further reading

• distinguish in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• distinguish in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.