Characteristic vs Distinction - What's the difference?
characteristic | distinction | Related terms |
Being a distinguishing feature of a person or thing.
* , chapter=12
, title= a distinguishable feature of a person or thing
(mathematics) the integer part of a logarithm
(nautical) the distinguishing features of a navigational light on a lighthouse etc by which it can be identified (colour, pattern of flashes etc)
(algebra, field theory) The minimum number of times that the unit of a field must be added unto itself in order to yield that field's zero, or, if that minimum natural number does not exist, then (the integer) zero.
That which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination.
The act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination.
* {{quote-book, year=1921, title=
, author=(Bertrand Russell), chapter=Lecture II
, passage=In spite of these qualifications, the broad distinction between instinct and habit is undeniable. To take extreme cases, every animal at birth can take food by instinct, before it has had opportunity to learn; on the other hand, no one can ride a bicycle by instinct, though, after learning, the necessary movements become just as automatic as if they were instinctive.}}
* {{quote-book, year=1911, title=
, chapter=Evidence
, passage=But, for practical purposes, it is possible to draw a distinction between a statement of facts observed and an expression of opinion as to the inference to be drawn from these facts, and the rule telling witnesses to state facts and not express opinions is of great value in keeping their statements out of the region of argument and conjecture.}}
Specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished.
* {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers), title=(A Cuckoo in the Nest)
, chapter=2 * 2013 , Daniel Taylor, Steven Gerrard goal against Poland ensures England will go to World Cup'' (in ''The Guardian , 15 October 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/15/england-poland-world-cup-qualifier]
As nouns the difference between characteristic and distinction
is that characteristic is a distinguishable feature of a person or thing while distinction is that which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination.As an adjective characteristic
is being a distinguishing feature of a person or thing.characteristic
English
(wikipedia characteristic)Adjective
(en adjective)The Mirror and the Lamp, passage=All this was extraordinarily distasteful to Churchill. It was ugly, gross. Never before had he felt such repulsion when the vicar displayed his characteristic bluntness or coarseness of speech. In the present connexion […] such talk had been distressingly out of place.}}
Synonyms
* distinctive * exclusive * idiosyncratic * indicative * representative * signature * specific * typicalAntonyms
* uncharacteristic * untypicalDerived terms
* characteristic function * characteristicnessNoun
(en noun)- A field's characteristic, if non-zero, must be a prime number.
Synonyms
* attribute * idiosyncrasy * mannerism * quality * tendency * trademark * trait * See alsoDerived terms
* defining characteristicSee also
* mantissaExternal links
* *distinction
English
Noun
(en noun)citation, passage=Mother
- 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.