ENGLISH
REFERENCE

differentiate

v.
US //ˌdɪfɝˈɛnʃiˌeɪt// UK //dˌɪfəɹˈɛnʃɪˌeɪt// dif·fer·en·ti·ate
  1. 1 to tell things apart (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    to recognize or show the difference between two or more things.

    to identify or constitute the difference between two or more entities. Often used with the preposition 'between'.

    Example

    It is sometimes hard to differentiate between the two types of birds because they look so similar.

    Example

    The software is designed to differentiate between legitimate user activity and potential security threats in real time.

    Usage

    Commonly used in the pattern 'differentiate between A and B' or 'differentiate A from B'.
    Pitfall
    You must differentiate A to B.
    You must differentiate A from B.

    When comparing two things, use 'from' or 'between', not 'to'.

  2. 2 to make unique (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    to make something different from other similar things.

    to create a distinction that makes one thing different from others of its kind.

    Example

    The company added new features to differentiate its phone from the competition.

    Example

    The brand sought to differentiate its product line by emphasizing sustainable sourcing and ethical manufacturing processes.
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  1. 3 biological development (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Biology

    when cells or parts of a living thing change to do a special job.

    to undergo a process of development where unspecialized cells or tissues become specialized in form or function.

    Example

    As the baby grows, its cells differentiate into skin, bone, and muscle.

    Example

    During embryonic development, stem cells differentiate into various specialized cell types in response to specific chemical signals.
  2. 4 mathematical calculation (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Math

    to find the rate at which a value changes in math.

    to calculate the derivative or differential of a mathematical function.

    Example

    In the second half of the exam, students had to differentiate several complex equations.

    Example

    To find the acceleration of the particle, you must first differentiate the velocity function with respect to time.
  3. 5 educational method (v.)
    C1 Advanced Academic Education

    to teach the same lesson in different ways to help every student learn.

    to tailor instruction to meet the individual needs, styles, or ability levels of different learners within the same classroom.

    Example

    The teacher tried to differentiate her lessons so that both fast and slow learners could succeed.

    Example

    Effective educators differentiate instruction by providing tiered assignments that challenge students according to their current proficiency levels.
Origin

From New Latin differentiātus, perfect passive participle of differentiō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix)), from Latin differentia (“difference”); see difference.

Word family

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