Contrast

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈkɒntɹɑːst/

Definitions

1. A noticeable difference between two or more things when compared side by side
2. A striking dissimilarity observed when juxtaposing two or more items or ideas
3. An evident distinction that arises when comparing various elements directly against each other

Etymology: The English noun and verb "contrast" arrived from French "contraster", and it is a close relative of "contrast" in the sense of standing against something. Its ancestor in Late Latin, "contrāstāre", meant "to resist" or "to withstand", and it was built from "contrā" ("against") and "stāre" ("to stand"). So at its root the word describes one thing standing up against another, the physical sense of opposition before it came to mean a difference that is visible when two things are set side by side. The shift from resistance to comparison happened gradually. Over time, the idea of standing against something changed into the idea of setting two things against each other so that their differences show. That is why the noun now refers to a clear difference, and why we speak of a sharp contrast between two colours or two personalities.

Synonyms: difference, distinction, variation, dissimilarity

Antonyms: similarity, resemblance, likeness, conformity