different between renown vs distinction

English

Etymology

From Old French renon, from re- + non (“name”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???na?n/
• Rhymes: -a?n

Noun

renown (usually uncountable, plural renowns)

1. Fame; celebrity; wide recognition.
   • 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Episode 12, The Cyclops

     There sleep the mighty dead as in life they slept, warriors and princes of high renown.

   • 1985, Lawrence Durrell, Quinx, New York: Viking, Chapter Three, p. 63,^[1]

     [...] one day local fame would become world renown [...]

2. (obsolete) Reports of nobleness or achievements; praise.
   • c. 1611, William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act V, Scene 1,^[2]

     [...] She

     Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan,

     Of whom so often I have heard renown,

     But never saw before;

Translations

See also

• renowned

Verb

renown (third-person singular simple present renowns, present participle renowning, simple past and past participle renowned)

1. (transitive) To make famous.

English

Etymology

From Middle English distinccioun, from Old French distinction (attested 12th century), from the Latin accusative distinctionem, action noun of distinguo (“I distinguish”). Used in English from the late 14th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d??st??k??n/

Noun

distinction (countable and uncountable, plural distinctions)

1. That which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination.
2. The act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination.
3. Specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished.
   • 2013, Daniel Taylor, Steven Gerrard goal against Poland ensures England will go to World Cup (in The Guardian, 15 October 2013)[2]

     Leighton Baines, playing with distinction again, sent over a left-wing cross with pace and accuracy. Welbeck, prominently involved all night, could not reach it but Rooney was directly behind him, flashing his header past Szczesny.

Antonyms

• (that which distinguishes): confusion

Derived terms

• contradistinction
• distinction without a difference

Related terms

• distinct
• distinguish
• distinguished
• distinguishable
• distinguishness

Translations

French

Etymology

From Old French distinction (attested in the 12th century), from borrowed from the Latin accusative distinctionem, the action noun of distinguere (“distinguish”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dis.t??k.sj??/
• Rhymes: -??
• Homophone: distinctions

Noun

distinction f (plural distinctions)

1. distinction (difference, honour)

Related terms

• distinct
• distinguer

Further reading

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