World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesDistinctive feature
/dɪˈstɪŋk.tɪv ˈfiː.tʃər/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
A prominent or characteristic attribute that helps to identify, separate, or distinguish a person, object, or concept from others.
"The unique shape of its headlights is a distinctive feature of this car model." - 2
In phonology and linguistics, the smallest phonetic or abstract unit of a speech sound that can differentiate one phoneme from another.
"Voicing is a distinctive feature that separates the sound /p/ from /b/."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'distinctivus', from 'distinguere' (to separate, distinguish), combined with 'feature' from Old French 'faitour' or Latin 'factura' (a making or formation). The phrase gained prominent technical usage in linguistics during the 20th century through structuralism and phonology to describe the most basic unit of phonological contrast.
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10 Global Lexicons: How "Distinctive feature" is said worldwide
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caractéristique distinctive
Transliteration: ka.ʁak.te.ʁis.tik dis.tink.tiv
"La couleur vive est une caractéristique distinctive de cette espèce d'oiseau."
Merkmal
Transliteration: ˈmɛʁkˌmaːl
"Ein entscheidendes Merkmal dieser Epoche war der rasante technische Fortschritt."
elemento distintivo
Transliteration: e.leˈmɛn.to di.stinˈti.vo
"La cura per i dettagli è l'elemento distintivo del nostro marchio."
rasgo distintivo
Transliteration: ˈras.ɣo dis.tinˈti.βo
"Su acento es el rasgo distintivo que delata su origen."
traço distintivo
Transliteration: ˈtɾa.su dʒis.tĩˈtʃi.vu
"A arquitetura gótica tem como traço distintivo os arcos ogivais."
विशिष्ट विशेषता
Transliteration: vishishṭ visheshatā
"यह गुण इस उत्पाद की एक विशिष्ट विशेषता है।"
显著特征
Transliteration: xiǎnzhù tèzhēng
"高效节能是这款新产品的显著特征。"
특징
Transliteration: teuk-jing
"이 지역 문화의 가장 두드러진 특징은 전통 공예입니다."
特徴
Transliteration: tokuchō
"優れた耐久性がこのスマートフォンの特徴です。"
Related Vocabulary Words to Explore
View all English termsAn item, typically food, that remains unused or uneaten after a meal or event.
One of a series of houses situated in a side-by-side architectural row sharing common partition walls, commonly found in urban and suburban areas.
A person who convinces someone to do or believe something through reasoning, argument, or charm.
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