To distinguish or differentiate. These nouns refer to a lack of correspondence or agreement. Difference is the most general: differences in color and size; a difference of degree but not of kind.
From Middle English difference, from Old French difference, from Latin differentia (“difference”), from differēns (“different”), present participle of differre.
Difference, discrepancy, disparity, dissimilarity imply perceivable unlikeness, variation, or diversity. Difference refers to a lack of identity or a degree of unlikeness: a difference of opinion; a difference of six inches.
A difference is the state or condition of being unlike or dissimilar. Understanding the term is important for recognizing variations and contrasts in various contexts.
Definition of difference noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
