Differentiating

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The process of identifying and establishing differences among entities based on their individual attributes
2. A technique used to discern and emphasize the unique qualities that set apart different items or ideas
3. The act of distinguishing and articulating the unique characteristics that separate various entities or concepts from one another

Etymology: Latin "differre" meant "to carry apart," built from "dis-" (apart) and "ferre" (to carry), so the idea of distinguishing began as a physical image of things borne in different directions. From this came the noun "differentia" ("difference"), which gave rise to the New Latin verb "differentiare," and English "differentiate" is built on that New Latin base. The "-ing" ending is the ordinary English suffix that turns the verb into a participle and gerund, and the word keeps its core sense of separating one thing from another. In its most common use it describes the act of telling things apart, whether that means distinguishing between two options or marking out what makes one item unlike another.

Synonyms: distinguishing, discriminating, separating, differing, contrasting

Antonyms: equalizing, blurring, merging, converging, unifying