Adjacent Words

Distinguished definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DISTINGUISHED, pp.
1. Separated or known by a mark of difference, or by different qualities.
2. a. Separated from others by superior or extraordinary qualities; whence, eminent; extraordinary; transcendent; noted; famous; celebrated. Thus, we admire distinguished men, distinguished talents or virtues, and distinguished services.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: (used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation; "our distinguished professor"
2: used of a person's appearance or behavior; befitting an eminent person; "his distinguished bearing"; "the monarch's imposing presence"; "she reigned in magisterial beauty" [syn: distinguished, grand, imposing, magisterial]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Date: 1714 1. marked by eminence, distinction, or excellence <distinguished leadership> 2. befitting an eminent person <a distinguished setting> Synonyms: see famous

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 (often foll. by for, by) of high standing; eminent; famous. 2 = DISTINGUé.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Distinguish Dis*tin"guish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Distinguished; p. pr. & vb. n. Distinguishing.] [F. distinguer, L. distinguere, distinctum; di- = dis- + stinguere to quench, extinguish; prob. orig., to prick, and so akin to G. stechen, E. stick, and perh. sting. Cf. Extinguish.] 1. Not set apart from others by visible marks; to make distinctive or discernible by exhibiting differences; to mark off by some characteristic. Not more distinguished by her purple vest, Than by the charming features of her face. --Dryden. Milton has distinguished the sweetbrier and the eglantine. --Nares. 2. To separate by definition of terms or logical division of a subject with regard to difference; as, to distinguish sounds into high and low. Moses distinguished the causes of the flood into those that belong to the heavens, and those that belong to the earth. --T. Burnet. 3. To recognize or discern by marks, signs, or characteristic quality or qualities; to know and discriminate (anything) from other things with which it might be confounded; as, to distinguish the sound of a drum. We are enabled to distinguish good from evil, as well as truth from falsehood. --Watts. Nor more can you distinguish of a man, Than of his outward show. --Shak. 4. To constitute a difference; to make to differ. Who distinguisheth thee? --1 Cor. iv. 7. (Douay version). 5. To separate from others by a mark of honor; to make eminent or known; to confer distinction upon; -- with by or for.``To distinguish themselves by means never tried before.'' --Johnson. Syn: To mark; discriminate; differentiate; characterize; discern; perceive; signalize; honor; glorify.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Distinguished Dis*tin"guished, a. 1. Marked; special. The most distinguished politeness. --Mad. D' Arblay. 2. Separated from others by distinct difference; having, or indicating, superiority; eminent or known; illustrious; -- applied to persons and deeds. Syn: Marked; noted; famous; conspicuous; celebrated; transcendent; eminent; illustrious; extraordinary; prominent. -- Distinguished, Eminent, Conspicuous, Celebrated, Illustrious. A man is eminent, when he stands high as compared with those around him; conspicuous, when he is so elevated as to be seen and observed; distinguished, when he has something which makes him stand apart from others in the public view; celebrated, when he is widely spoken of with honor and respect; illustrious, when a splendor is thrown around him which confers the highest dignity.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. If you describe a person or their work as distinguished, you mean that they have been very successful in their career and have a good reputation. ...a distinguished academic family. = illustrious ADJ 2. If you describe someone as distinguished, you mean that they look very noble and respectable. He looked very distinguished. ADJ

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Illustrious, famous, noted, eminent, celebrated. 2. Conspicuous, marked, extraordinary, supreme, transcendent, consummate.

Moby Thesaurus

a cut above, above, absolute, acclaimed, ahead, appropriate, aristocratic, ascendant, assorted, at odds, at variance, august, better, capping, celebrated, certain, characteristic, chosen, concrete, conspicuous, contrary, contrasted, contrasting, courtly, crowned with laurel, defined, definite, departing, detailed, determinate, deviating, deviative, different, differentiated, differing, dignified, disaccordant, disagreeing, discordant, discrepant, discrete, discriminated, disjoined, disparate, dissimilar, dissonant, distinct, distinctive, distingue, divergent, diverging, divers, diverse, diversified, eclipsing, elevated, eminent, esoteric, especial, esteemed, estimable, exalted, exceeding, excellent, excelling, exceptional, express, extraordinary, fabled, famed, famous, far-famed, far-heard, finer, fixed, glorious, godlike, grand, great, greater, heroic, heterogeneous, high, higher, honorable, honored, idiocratic, idiosyncratic, illustrious, imposing, in ascendancy, in character, in disagreement, in the ascendant, inaccordant, incompatible, incongruous, inconsistent, inconsonant, individual, inharmonious, inner, intimate, intrinsic, irreconcilable, lauded, laureate, legendary, lofty, magnanimous, magnificent, majestic, major, many, marked, memorable, minute, motley, much acclaimed, multifarious, mythical, noble, notable, noted, noteworthy, notorious, of choice, of mark, of note, one up on, outstanding, over, particular, peculiar, personal, poles apart, poles asunder, popular, precise, prestigious, private, prominent, proper, quintessential, rare, regal, remarkable, rememberable, renowned, reputable, respected, respective, rivaling, royal, salient, separate, separated, several, signal, single, singular, soaring, solipsistic, special, specific, stately, striking, sublime, super, superb, superior, surpassing, talked-about, talked-of, telling, topping, towering, transcendent, transcendental, transcending, true to form, unconformable, unequal, unforgettable, unique, unlike, upper, variant, varied, variegated, various, varying, well-known, widely apart, worlds apart