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Definition of distinguishment

distinguishment

/dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃmənt/
dis · tin · guish · ment
Adverb:distinguishably
•
Plural:distinguishments
•
Adjective:distinguishable
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distinguishment Lexical Profile

distinguishment Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The act or process of distinguishing, or the state of being distinguished; the observation or marking of a difference between things.

Example

"The legal treatise emphasized the careful extinguishment of prior claims and the clear distinguishment between public and private property rights."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for distinguishment
Antonyms
View all antonyms for distinguishment

Word Nuance & Usage

In contemporary standard English, "distinction" or "differentiation" is overwhelmingly preferred over "distinguishment," which is relatively rare and primarily confined to formal, legal, or philosophical writing.

• Rhymes for distinguishment

• Nearby Words

distinguishably
distinguished
distinguisher
distinguishment
distort
distortedly
distorter

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in the mid-16th century from the verb "distinguish" (borrowed via Old French from Latin distinguere, meaning "to separate between" or "prick off") combined with the noun-forming suffix "-ment."

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Distinguishment. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/distinguishment
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