differentiate
di
ˌdɪ
di
ffe
ren
ˈrɛn
ren
tiate
ʃieɪt
shieit
British pronunciation
/ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃieɪt/

Definition & Meaning of "differentiate"in English

to differentiate
01

to recognize the difference present between two people or things

Transitive: to differentiate between two things | to differentiate two things
to differentiate definition and meaning
example
Examples
The teacher helps her students differentiate between similar-sounding words by highlighting their distinct meanings and usage.
She is currently differentiating between the various types of flowers in the garden.
02

to be something that marks two things or people as completely distinguished or different

Transitive: to differentiate sb/sth from others
example
Examples
The bright red dress really differentiates her from the rest of the guests.
The new technology differentiates this company from its competitors.
03

to develop unique qualities or features that make something stand out from others

Intransitive
example
Examples
The two cultures differentiated in their traditions and values.
The landscape started to differentiate, with forests giving way to deserts.
04

(of a cell or organism) to change or develop in a way that makes something distinct or unique from others

Intransitive: to differentiate into specialized forms
example
Examples
As the plants grow, they differentiate into various shapes and sizes.
The cells in the embryo begin to differentiate into specialized tissues.
05

to cause a cell to develop into a more specialized form during its growth process

Transitive: to differentiate cells
example
Examples
In embryonic development, certain signals differentiate cells into specialized tissue types.
The growth factors in the body differentiate stem cells into muscle cells.
06

to find the derivative of a function, essentially determining how it changes at each point

Transitive: to differentiate a function
example
Examples
In calculus, we differentiate a function to understand its rate of change.
To solve the problem, we need to differentiate the equation with respect to time.
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