distinctive

IPA/dɪˈstɪŋktɪv/
KK[dɪstˈɪŋktɪv]IPA/dɪˈstɪŋktɪv/

distinctive — adjective

  • distinctivepositive
  • more distinctivecomparative
  • most distinctivesuperlative

1. having a clear and noticeable quality that makes someone or something stand out

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

having a clear and noticeable quality that makes someone or something stand out from others of the same type

Example

The café's distinctive red door makes it easy to find.

attributive: distinctive + noun

Each bird species has a distinctive song that helps identify it.

Common collocations
  • distinctive feature
  • distinctive style
  • distinctive flavour
  • distinctive sound
  • distinctive appearance
  • distinctive smell
  • distinctive mark
  • highly distinctive
  • truly distinctive
  • quite distinctive
Synonyms
  • characteristic

    more factual and neutral; a typical quality that belongs to something, not necessarily one that makes it stand out

  • unique

    stronger — means 'one of a kind'; distinctive allows for shared features that still make it recognisable

  • distinguishing

    more formal and often used in technical or analytical contexts

  • particular

    more general and less about standing out; refers to a specific feature among others

Antonyms
  • ordinary

    lacks any quality that would make it stand out in a noticeable way

  • generic

    has only the minimum features common to all members of a group

Grammar Patterns

distinctive + noun

be + distinctive

distinctive in + noun phrase

Usage Note

Distinguish from distinct: distinct means 'clearly different or separate,' whereas distinctive describes the particular quality that makes something easy to recognise or tells it apart from others of the same kind.

Common Mistakes

He wore a distinct hat that made him stand out in the crowd.
He wore a distinctive hat that made him stand out in the crowd.
distinct emphasises being clearly separate; distinctive describes the quality that makes the hat noticeable.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Distinctive, characteristic, unique, particular, and distinguishing all relate to features that identify something, but they differ in intensity and scope. Distinctive is the broadest — it simply means having a noticeable quality that sets something apart, whether that quality is positive, negative, or neutral (a distinctive smell, a distinctive voice). Characteristic is more factual and descriptive: a characteristic feature is one that typically belongs to a person or thing (the characteristic sweetness of mangoes). Unique is the strongest, meaning 'one of a kind' with no equal, whereas distinctive allows for shared traits that still make recognition possible. Particular is the weakest — it points to a specific feature among many without implying it makes the whole thing stand out. Distinguishing is the most formal and is often used in analytical or comparative writing. For example: 'The bird's distinctive call is easy to recognise by any experienced birder, but its unique wing pattern is found only in this species.'

distinctive ↗characteristic ↗unique ↗particular ↗distinguishing ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • highly distinctive
  • very distinctive
  • quite distinctive
  • truly distinctive
  • immediately distinctive

Prepositions

  • distinctive in
  • distinctive of

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from Latin distinguere, meaning 'to separate or mark apart,' formed from dis- ('apart') and stinguere ('to prick' or 'to mark'). The word passed through French before entering English in the early 1600s, originally carrying the sense of 'serving to mark a difference.'