different between distinct vs significant

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 Latin significans, present participle of significare, from signum (“sign”) + ficare (“do, make”), variant of facere.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /s???n?.f?.k?nt/

• (US, also) IPA^(key): /s???n?.f?.??nt/

Adjective

significant (comparative more significant, superlative most significant)

1. Signifying something; carrying meaning.

   Synonym: meaningful

   • It was well said of Plotinus, that the stars were significant, but not efficient.
2. Having a covert or hidden meaning.
3. Having a noticeable or major effect.

   Synonym: notable
4. Reasonably large in number or amount.
5. (statistics) Having a low probability of occurring by chance (for example, having high correlation and thus likely to be related).

Usage notes

• This word may be ambiguous in some situations. In formal writing, care should be taken with comments such as "the difference is significant," because it is not clear without contextual clues whether significant modifies the fact that there is a difference ("notable"), or the difference itself ("large in number or amount"). In some such situations, large and other synonyms may be used in its place.

Synonyms

• important

Antonyms

• insignificant
• ignorable
• negligible
• slight

Related terms

• significance
• significand
• significant other
• signify

Translations

Noun

significant (plural significants)

1. That which has significance; a sign; a token; a symbol.
   • a. 1850, William Wordsworth, The Egyptian Maid

     And in my glass significants there are

References

significant in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Catalan

Verb

significant

1. present participle of significar

Latin

Verb

significant

1. third-person plural present active indicative of signific?