different between distinct vs momentous

English

Etymology

From Middle English distincte, from Old French, from Latin distinctus, past participle of distinguere (“to distinguish”); see distinguish.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d?s?t??kt/
• Rhymes: -??kt

Adjective

distinct (comparative more distinct, superlative most distinct)

1. Capable of being perceived very clearly.

2. Different from one another (with the preferable adposition being "from").

3. Noticeably different from others; distinctive.

4. Separate in place; not conjunct or united; with from.
5. (obsolete) Distinguished; having the difference marked; separated by a visible sign; marked out; specified.
6. (obsolete) Marked; variegated.

Synonyms

• (capable of being perceived very clearly): clear, vivid; see also Thesaurus:distinct
• (different from one another): different, separate, several (obsolete)
• (noticeably different): characteristic, distinctive, prominent
• (separate in place): discrete, individual, noncontinuous, separate
• (distinguished): specified
• (marked): patterned; see also Thesaurus:marked

Antonyms

• (capable of being perceived very clearly): confusing, indistinct; see also Thesaurus:indistinct
• (different from one another): same, indistinguishable

Derived terms

• distinctly
• distinctness

Related terms

• distinction
• distinctive
• distinguish
• distinguished
• distinguishable
• distinguishness
• extinct

Translations

Further reading

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

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin distinctus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dis.t??/, /dis.t??kt/
• Homophone: distincts

Adjective

distinct (feminine singular distincte, masculine plural distincts, feminine plural distinctes)

1. distinct
2. discrete

Related terms

• distinguer

Further reading

• “distinct” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French distinct, Latin distinctus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dis?tinkt/

Adjective

distinct m or n (feminine singular distinct?, masculine plural distinc?i, feminine and neuter plural distincte)

1. distinct

Declension

Related terms

• distinctive
• distinc?ie
• distinge

Further reading

• distinct in DEX online - Dic?ionare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)

English

Etymology

From moment +? -ous.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /m???m?n.t?s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /mo??m?n.t?s/
• Rhymes: -?nt?s

Adjective

momentous (comparative more momentous, superlative most momentous)

1. Outstanding in importance, of great consequence.
   • 1725, Daniel Defoe, Everybody's Business is Nobody's Business:

     The reason why I did not publish this book till the end of the last sessions of parliament was, because I did not care to interfere with more momentous affairs.

   • 1831, James Fenimore Cooper, Homeward Bound, ch. 31:

     "It has been a momentous month, and I hope we shall all retain healthful recollections of it as long as we live."

   • 1902, Joseph Conrad, The End of the Tether, ch. 3:

     What to the other parties was merely the sale of a ship was to him a momentous event involving a radically new view of existence.

   • 2007 July 1, Richard Dawkins, "Inferior Design," New York Times (retrieved 19 Nov 2013):

     Natural selection is arguably the most momentous idea ever to occur to a human mind, because it — alone as far as we know — explains the elegant illusion of design that pervades the living kingdoms and explains, in passing, us.

Derived terms

• momentously
• momentousness

Translations

Anagrams

• mesonotum