v., -guished, -guish·ing, -guish·es. v.tr.
- To perceive as being different or distinct.
- To perceive distinctly; discern: distinguished the masts of ships on the horizon.
- To make noticeable or different; set apart.
- To cause (oneself) to be eminent or recognized: They have distinguished themselves as dedicated social workers.
To perceive or indicate differences; discriminate: distinguish between right and wrong.
[Alteration of obsolete distingue, from Middle English distinguen, from Old French distinguer, from Latin distinguere, to separate.]
distinguishable dis·tin'guish·a·ble adj.distinguishably dis·tin'guish·a·bly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
