differentiate

Formsdifferentiates, differentiating, differentiated

Pluraldifferentiates

1. 1
   verbtransitive

   To see that two or more things are not the same.

   Like noticing that two coins which look alike are actually different.

   Most shoppers can't differentiate the two brands by taste alone.

   Young children slowly learn to differentiate colors and shapes.

   Similardistinguish, discriminate, discern, tell

   Oppositeconflate

   Note
2. 2
   verbtransitive

   To show what makes one thing different from another.

   Like a name tag that shows who is who.

   Bright feathers differentiate the male birds from the females.

   A logo helps differentiate one company from the others.

   Similardistinguish, separate

   Note
3. 3
   verbintransitive

   To be able to tell the difference between things.

   Like telling apart two birds by their songs.

   Babies soon learn to differentiate between familiar and strange faces.

   A good chef can differentiate between fresh and frozen fish.

   Similardistinguish, discriminate

   Note
4. 4
   verbtransitive

   To change something so it is not the same as others.

   Like adding a colored stripe so one bag stands out from the rest.

   The company tried to differentiate its product from cheaper copies.

   Small design changes differentiate each new model.

   Similardistinguish, individualize

   Oppositestandardize

   Note
5. 5
   verbtransitive or intransitive

   To develop into a special kind of cell or tissue, or to make a cell develop that way.

   Like a young worker learning one special job out of many.

   Stem cells can differentiate into muscle, bone, or nerve cells.

   Certain signals differentiate the cells into specific types.

   Similarspecialize

   Note
6. 6
   verbtransitive

   In math, to work out how fast a function's value changes.

   Like finding out how steep a hill is at each point.

   Students learn to differentiate simple functions in their first calculus class.

   You can differentiate the equation to find its slope.

   Oppositeintegrate

   Note
7. 7
   verbtransitive

   In math, to find how a function with several inputs changes.

   Like checking how a recipe changes when you adjust more than one ingredient.

   Engineers differentiate functions of several variables to study how outputs change.

   You differentiate the surface equation to see how it bends.

   Oppositeintegrate

   Note
8. 8
   verbintransitive

   In teaching, to present a lesson in several ways so that students at different levels can learn.

   Like a coach who gives each player a drill that fits their skill.

   Good teachers differentiate so that both struggling and advanced students stay engaged.

   She learned to differentiate within a single mixed-ability classroom.

   Note
9. 9
   nouncountable

   A layer or material that formed when a larger mass slowly separated into different parts.

   Like the layers that form when oil and water slowly settle apart.

   Each differentiate in the intrusion records a stage of cooling.

   The darker differentiates settled toward the base of the chamber.

   Note

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