Library / English Dictionary

DIFFERENTIATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become distinct and acquire a different character

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "differentiate" is one way to...):

dissimilate (become dissimilar or less similar)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

difference (the quality of being unlike or dissimilar)

difference (a variation that deviates from the standard or norm)

difference (a significant change)

differentiation (a discrimination between things as different and distinct on the basis of their characteristics or attributes)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Evolve so as to lead to a new species or develop in a way most suited to the environment

Synonyms:

differentiate; specialise; specialize; speciate

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "differentiate" is one way to...):

evolve (undergo development or evolution)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sense 3

Meaning:

Become different during development

Example:

cells differentiate

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "differentiate" is one way to...):

develop (grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Antonym:

dedifferentiate (lose specialization in form or function)

Derivation:

difference (the quality of being unlike or dissimilar)

difference (a significant change)

differentiation ((biology) the structural adaptation of some body part for a particular function)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Calculate a derivative; take the derivative

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "differentiate" is one way to...):

calculate; cipher; compute; cypher; figure; reckon; work out (make a mathematical calculation or computation)

Domain category:

math; mathematics; maths (a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Antonym:

integrate (calculate the integral of; calculate by integration)

Derivation:

differentiation (the mathematical process of obtaining the derivative of a function)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Mark as different

Example:

We distinguish several kinds of maple

Synonyms:

differentiate; distinguish; secern; secernate; separate; severalise; severalize; tell; tell apart

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "differentiate" is one way to...):

identify; place (recognize as being; establish the identity of someone or something)

"Differentiate" entails doing...:

compare (examine and note the similarities or differences of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "differentiate"):

know (be able to distinguish, recognize as being different)

discriminate; know apart (recognize or perceive the difference)

label (distinguish (an element or atom) by using a radioactive isotope or an isotope of unusual mass for tracing through chemical reactions)

label (distinguish (as a compound or molecule) by introducing a labeled atom)

sex (tell the sex (of young chickens))

individualise; individualize (make or mark or treat as individual)

contrast (put in opposition to show or emphasize differences)

have the distinction (be distinguished from others of a similar type by virtue of a notable characteristic)

severalise; severalize (distinguish or separate)

contradistinguish (distinguish by contrasting qualities)

decouple; dissociate (regard as unconnected)

demarcate (separate clearly, as if by boundaries)

discriminate; separate; single out (treat differently on the basis of sex or race)

stratify (divide society into social classes or castes)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s something from somebody

Derivation:

difference (the quality of being unlike or dissimilar)

difference (a variation that deviates from the standard or norm)

differentiation (a discrimination between things as different and distinct on the basis of their characteristics or attributes)

differentiator (a person who (or that which) differentiates)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Be a distinctive feature, attribute, or trait; sometimes in a very positive sense

Example:

His modesty distinguishes him from his peers

Synonyms:

differentiate; distinguish; mark

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "differentiate" is one way to...):

characterise; characterize; qualify (describe or portray the character or the qualities or peculiarities of)

Verb group:

mark (designate as if by a mark)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "differentiate"):

characterise; characterize (be characteristic of)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

difference (the quality of being unlike or dissimilar)

difference (a variation that deviates from the standard or norm)

differentiation (a discrimination between things as different and distinct on the basis of their characteristics or attributes)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Comment: Leukemia in which neoplastic cells are well differentiated; less than 20% immature forms/blasts in hematopoietic tissue

(Mouse MPD-like Myeloid Leukemia, NCI Thesaurus/MMHCC)

After binding of monoclonal antibody MGA271 to an as of yet not elucidated target expressed on CSCs and differentiated tumor cells, this agent may induce an antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) against CSCs.

(Monoclonal Antibody MGA271, NCI Thesaurus)

They tend to grow and spread at a faster rate than well differentiated tumor cells.

(Moderately Differentiated, NCI Thesaurus)

A usually well differentiated melanocytic neoplasm arising from the meninges.

(Meningeal Melanocytoma, NCI Thesaurus)

Individual chromosomes can be discerned and differentiated morphologically.

(Mitotic Chromosome, NCI Thesaurus)

A rare, well differentiated, cytologically benign ameloblastoma which paradoxically metastasizes.

(Metastasizing Ameloblastoma, NCI Thesaurus)

A well differentiated neuroendocrine tumor arising from the wall of the appendix.

(Appendix Enterochromaffin Cell Serotonin-Producing Neuroendocrine Tumor, NCI Thesaurus)

The majority of cases are well differentiated adenocarcinomas with mucinous stroma formation.

(Appendix Adenocarcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

The flowering seed plants, as differentiated from gymnosperms, the non-flowering seed plants.

(Angiosperms, NOAA Paleoclimate Glossary)

CD45, a receptor-like protein-tyrosine phosphatase that consists of several isoforms, is present on all differentiated hematopoietic cells except erythrocytes and plasma cells and is essential for T cell development and lymphocyte activation.

(anti-CD45 monoclonal antibody, NCI Thesaurus)