# distinctive

> English word · Adjective · IPA /dɪˈstɪŋktɪv/ · frequency rank #7,123

## Definitions
1. Distinguishing, used to or enabling the distinguishing of some thing.
2. Discriminating, discerning, having the ability to distinguish between things.
3. Characteristic, typical.
4. Distinguished, being distinct in character or position.
5. Used to separate clauses in place of stops.
6. Distinguishing a particular sense of word.

## Etymology
From Latin distinctus, perfect passive participle of distinguere (“to push apart, to divide”), + -ive (forming adjectives signifying relation or tendency to). Cognate with French distinctif and Medieval Latin distinctivus.

## Easily confused with
- **distinctively** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/distinctive-vs-distinctively)
- **distinction** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/distinction-vs-distinctive)

## Common misspellings (17)
`ddistinctive`, `disitnctive`, `disstinctive`, `disticntive`, `distincctive`, `distincitve`, `distinctiev`, `distinctivve`, `distincttive`, `distinctvie`, `distinnctive`, `distintcive`, `distnictive`, `disttinctive`, `ditsinctive`, `dsitinctive`, `idstinctive`

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