Distinctive
/dɪˈstɪŋk.tɪv/noun
Serving to distinguish one thing from another; characteristic or distinctive.
Did you know?Distinctive comes from Latin roots tied to *stinging* and *separating*, because the same ancient word family behind it also gave English words like instinct and extinct.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*steyg-
“to prick, stick, or pierce”
Latin
Latin
stinguere
“to prick or pierce; later, to extinguish or quench”
Latin
Latin
distinctus
“separated, marked off”
Late Latin
Latin
distinctivus
“serving to distinguish”
Middle English
English
distinctif
“serving to distinguish or mark off”
Modern English
English
distinctive
“serving to distinguish; characteristic”