distinctive

adjective

dis·tinc·tive | \ di-ˈstiŋ(k)-tiv

Definition of distinctive

1a : marking as separate or different : serving to distinguish the distinctive flight of the crane

b : having or giving an uncommon and appealing quality : having or giving style or distinction a distinctive table setting a writer with a distinctive prose style

2 linguistics : capable of making a segment of utterance different in meaning as well as in sound from an otherwise identical utterance

Other Words from distinctive Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about distinctive

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Choose the Right Synonym for distinctive

characteristic, individual, peculiar, distinctive mean indicating a special quality or identity. characteristic applies to something that distinguishes or identifies a person or thing or class. responded with her characteristic wit individual stresses qualities that distinguish one from all other members of the same kind or class. a highly individual writing style peculiar applies to qualities possessed only by a particular individual or class or kind and stresses rarity or uniqueness. an eccentricity that is peculiar to the British distinctive indicates qualities distinguishing and uncommon and often superior or praiseworthy. a distinctive aura of grace and elegance

Examples of distinctive in a Sentence

He had a very distinctive walk. This wine has a more distinctive flavor than that one. The store sells only the most distinctive chocolates.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Oriental Pearl Tower is the single most distinctive landmark in Shanghai. — Adrienne Faurote, Marie Claire, "The Instagram Guide to Shanghai, China," 5 Apr. 2019 The most distinctive aspect of the home is its triangular shape. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Mysterious House From 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' Episode Up For Sale," 5 Nov. 2018 And the building is as distinctive as the art: The 15,000 square-foot white-concrete cube with a sawtooth top was designed by British architect David Chipperfield. — Condé Nast Traveler, "23 Best Things To Do In Mexico City," 4 Mar. 2018 After several years of slow progress, Oxford Nanopore announced that its sequencing hardware would be as distinctive as its wetware: a USB device that could fit comfortably in a person's hand. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Pocket-sized DNA reader used to scan entire human genome sequence," 30 Jan. 2018 Interestingly, the foundational Prime offering has also become the least distinctive. — Brian Barrett, WIRED, "Is Amazon Prime Still Worth It?," 11 May 2018 The combination of the modernist architecture, elegant interior design, and layered collection of art made the de Menils’ Houston house one of the most distinctive of the 20th century. — William Middleton, Town & Country, "How the De Menil Family Raised Good Taste to an Art Form," 7 Mar. 2018 The shell continues to be aluminum, but gone are the distinctive—and somewhat dated—curves of the previous model. — Gordon Mah Ung, PCWorld, "Razer's Blade Stealth gets a long-awaited upgrade to GeForce graphics and a Whiskey Lake CPU," 4 Dec. 2018 Every film like Roma, which likely wouldn’t have made it to such a wide audience without Netflix’s help, is a victory for the audiences who get to see it, and for an industry that sometimes struggles to support distinctive and daring work. — Keith Phipps, The Verge, "The company’s ongoing bid for awards legitimacy is a terrific boon for its subscribers," 3 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'distinctive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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4 May 2019

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The first known use of distinctive was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for distinctive

distinctive

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of distinctive

: having a quality or characteristic that makes a person or thing different from others : different in a way that is easy to notice

: appealing or interesting because of an unusual quality or characteristic

See the full definition for distinctive in the English Language Learners Dictionary

distinctive

adjective

dis·tinc·tive | \ di-ˈstiŋk-tiv

Kids Definition of distinctive

1 : clearly marking a person or a thing as different from others As they got closer he … could hear Mr. Sir's distinctive bark.— Louis Sachar, Holes

2 : having or giving a special look or way distinctive clothes