differentia

noun

ˌdi-fə-ˈren(t)-sh(ē-)ə How to pronounce differentia (audio)
Definition of differentianext
as in characteristic
something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind a list of the chief differentiae between a controlling cult and a legitimate religious sect

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for differentia
  1. characteristic
  2. trait
  3. quality
  4. attribute
  5. feature
  6. attribution
  7. criterion
Noun
  • What’s more useful in understanding the world is a straightforward accounting of it—a kind of double-entry inventory of its characteristics.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Tactile sensor data has very different characteristics to the image data VLAs are normally trained on, and tactile datasets lag far behind the internet-scale of many vision and language datasets.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of characteristic
Noun
  • Other soccer-like traits at Ryan Field include a very high proportion of the seats being under cover and the striking sight that what Americans across the land have come to know as the Upper Deck experience just does not exist here.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • His ability to square the ball up and not chase out of the strike zone are probably his best traits.
    — Jim Bowden, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of trait
Noun
  • Researchers need to establish what remains in the purified water and whether those substances could affect drug quality or patient safety.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2026
  • As the pair chase show jumping immortality this weekend, those are the qualities that will be needed to make history.
    — Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of quality
Noun
  • Characters disappear, or have their attributes and actions assigned to different characters.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • In recent years, interest in particular attributes, like low-carb beers, has also been a factor in consumer preferences.
    — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of attribute
Noun
  • Factory floor gets smarter One of the main features planned for BIC North is ASML’s new flow factory, a manufacturing model designed for its TWINSCAN lithography systems.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • When the device is closed, a smaller exterior screen on the front cover provides quick access to key apps and features.
    — Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of feature
Noun
  • There’s an assumption that the second half is Shakespeare’s, but scholars continue to quarrel over attribution.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The attribution of liability that the author references is but one example.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of attribution
Noun
  • Maximum temperatures are expected in the upper 80s and lower 90s with peak heat indices reaching 100-107 degrees ahead of daily storms, but below heat advisory criteria.
    — Felix Rodriguez, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The order gives Interior Secretary Doug Burgum 90 days to determine whether the wolves have met federal recovery criteria for delisting or downlisting under the Endangered Species Act.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of criterion
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

different
differentia
differentiability
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Cite this Entry

“Differentia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/differentia. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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