WordWeb Online

1. (used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation
   "our distinguished professor"
    
2. Used of a person's appearance or behaviour; befitting an eminent person
   "his distinguished bearing"
   - grand, imposing, magisterial

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

See also: dignified, distinction, important, of import

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

Encyclopedia: Distinguish