distinctive

adjective dis·tinc·tive \ di-ˈstiŋ(k)-tiv \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: distinctive in a Sentence

Definition of distinctive

1 a : 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

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distinctively

adverb

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distinctiveness

noun

See distinctive defined for English-language learners

See distinctive defined for kids

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 of distinctive from the Web

Amazon’s warehouses do have distinctive features the company likes to show off.

— nina shapiro, The Seattle Times, "Under pressure, afraid to take bathroom breaks? Inside Amazon’s fast-paced warehouse world," 2 July 2018
By contrast, facial recognition relies on the most distinctive and unconcealed feature of the human form.

— ian bogost, The Atlantic, "What the Capital Gazette Shooting Reveals About Face Recognition," 29 June 2018
Prescott: Granite Gardens This little series of loops makes a great introduction to Prescott’s most distinctive feature, the Granite Dells, a massive field of exposed bedrock gnawed by erosion.

— roger naylor, azcentral, "Kid-friendly hikes around Arizona: Hit the trail with your family this summer," 28 June 2018
The remains of a 19th century stone house sits right in the middle of the fairway in the landing zone, adding a distinctive feature to the downhill drive.

— brent kennedy, Howard County Times, "Whiskey Creek Golf Club," 20 June 2018
For example, one of the most distinctive features of a bird is its beak, but fossil records show that dinosaurs definitely had snouts with razor sharp teeth.

— matt blitz, Popular Mechanics, "The Real Science of Bringing Back the Dinosaurs," 20 June 2018
The colorful building, which resembles a massive party barge, certainly ranks as the river’s most distinctive resort.

— vincent crampton, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Explore Florida's Citrus County: Monkey Island, Homosassa River’s Alcatraz," 6 May 2018
The most distinctive feature of the high-top variation of the sneaker was the three poufy ankle supports and the two thin Velcro straps to keep them in place.

— nicholas smith, Time, "How Jane Fonda Helped Inspire Reebok’s Freestyle Fitness Sneaker," 30 Apr. 2018
Muresanu plays each work with fidelity to its distinctive character.

— david weininger, BostonGlobe.com, "From Philip Glass to folk-inspired violin, sounds for the summer," 4 July 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.

Origin and Etymology of distinctive

see distinct

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

distinctive Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of 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

DISTINCTIVE Defined for English Language Learners

distinctive

adjective

Definition of distinctive for English Language Learners

: 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