WordWeb Online

1. Mark as different
   "We distinguish several kinds of maple"
   - separate, differentiate, secern, secernate, severalize, severalise [Brit], tell, tell apart
    
2. Detect with the senses
   - spot, recognize, recognise [Brit], discern, pick out, make out, tell apart
    
3. Be a distinctive feature, attribute, or trait; sometimes in a very positive sense
   "His modesty distinguishes him from his peers"
   - mark, differentiate
    
4. Make conspicuous or noteworthy
   - signalize, signalise [Brit]
    
5. Identify as in botany or biology, for example
   - identify, discover, key, key out, describe, name

Derived forms: distinguished, distinguishes, distinguishing

See also: distinction

Type of: characterise [Brit], characterize, identify, mark, place, qualify

Encyclopedia: Distinguish