mark as different
"We distinguish several kinds of maple"
detect with the senses
"The fleeing convicts were picked out of the darkness by the watchful prison guards"
"I can't make out the faces in this photograph"
be a distinctive feature, attribute, or trait; sometimes in a very positive sense
"His modesty distinguishes him from his peers"
make conspicuous or noteworthy
"The bright neon sign was designed to distinguish itself from all the other storefronts on the street."
To recognize someone or something as different from others based on its characteristics.
"The security guard easily distinguished the impostor by noticing his mismatched shoes and nervous demeanor."
In plain English: To distinguish means to tell two things apart because they are not exactly the same.
"Please distinguish between right and wrong."
Usage: Use distinguish to describe the act of recognizing differences between two similar items, such as distinguishing one flavor from another in a blind taste test. It is often paired with "between" when comparing multiple options and emphasizes identifying unique traits rather than simply separating them physically.
The word "distinguish" comes from the Old French distinguer, which was borrowed into Middle English from Latin. Its original meaning was literally "to mark off or separate," a sense derived from combining roots that mean "apart" and "stink."