differentiation

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) The act or process of differentiating (generally, without a specialized sense).
2. (countable, uncountable) The act or process of differentiating (generally, without a specialized sense).
3. (countable, uncountable) The process by which the components of multicellular life (cells, organs, etc.) are produced and acquire function, as when a seed develops the root and stem, and the initial stem develops the leaf, branches, and flower buds.
4. (countable, uncountable) The evolutionary process by which one taxonomic group (species, genus, variety, etc.) becomes distinct from another, or acquires distinct features; the result of such a process: distinctness.
5. (countable, uncountable) The process of separation of cooling magma into various rock types.
6. (countable, uncountable) The process of applying the derivative operator to a function; of calculating a function's derivative.

Synonyms

distinction

discrimination

specialization

specialisation

identification

variation

classification

differential

difference

separation

diversity

gap

line

note

odds

recognition

sorting out

specialism

spread

sundries

unraveling

variance

variant

divorce

separationism

authentication

differenciation

characterization

contrast

detection

discerning

discrepancy

distinguish

distinguishing

disunion

divergence

Translations

différenciation

diferenciación

differenziazione

Differenzierung

différentiation

diferenciação

Unterscheidung

διαφοροποίηση

Differentiation

diferenciació

distinction

αντιδιαστολή

Unterschied

Differenziation

Pronounced as (IPA)

/dɪf.əˌɹɛn.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: differen

Cognate with Ancient Greek: διαφέρω

In summary

From differentiate + -ion, from different + -iate, from differ + -ent, from Middle English differen, from Old French differer, from Latin differō (“carry apart, put off, defer; differ”), from dis- (“apart”) + ferō (“carry, bear”); cognate with Ancient Greek διαφέρω (diaphérō, “to differ”).