# differ

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈdɪfə/ · frequency rank #6,779

## Definitions
1. Not to have the same traits or characteristics; to be unalike or distinct.
2. Not to have the same traits or characteristics; to be unalike or distinct.
3. Not to have the same traits or characteristics; to be unalike or distinct.

## Etymology
From Middle English differren, from Old French differer, from Latin differō (“carry apart, put off, defer; differ”), from dis- (“apart”) + ferō (“carry, bear”). Compare Ancient Greek διαφέρω (diaphérō). Doublet of defer and dilate, see also infer, confer and collate, refer and relate, as well as prefer and prelate among others.

## Easily confused with
- **diner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/differ-vs-diner)
- **diver** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/differ-vs-diver)
- **dimer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/differ-vs-dimer)
- **dinner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/differ-vs-dinner)
- **digger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/differ-vs-digger)
- **dipper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/differ-vs-dipper)
- **duffel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/differ-vs-duffel)
- **dimmer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/differ-vs-dimmer)
- **drifter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/differ-vs-drifter)
- **diffuser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/differ-vs-diffuser)
- **diff** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/diff-vs-differ)
- **defer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/defer-vs-differ)
- **diaper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/diaper-vs-differ)
- **dieter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dieter-vs-differ)

## Common misspellings (7)
`ddiffer`, `dfifer`, `difefr`, `difer`, `differr`, `diffre`, `idffer`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/differ