Etymograph

English

distinction

Distinction comes from Latin distinguō ‘separate, distinguish’, from stinguō ‘to put out, extinguish’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *stengʷ- ‘to push’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*stengʷ-‘to push’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sténgʷeti‘to push, thrust’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*stengʷō‘to push’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstinguō‘to put out, extinguish’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdistinguō‘separate, distinguish’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdistinctiōnemaction noun of distinguō
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400distinction
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500distinccioun
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1911distinction

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*stengʷ-‘to push’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sténgʷeti‘to push, thrust’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*stengʷō‘to push’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstinguō‘to put out, extinguish’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdistinguō‘separate, distinguish’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdistinctiōnemaction noun of distinguō
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400distinction
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500distinccioun
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1911distinction

Earliest quotation: 1911, Evidence: “But, for practical purposes, it is possible to draw…”

Equivalent to distinct ‘to distinguish’ + -ion

Latin distinctus ‘distinct, separate’

Old French destincter

Middle English distincte

English distinct

The story

From Middle English distinccioun, from Old French distinction (attested from the 12th century), borrowed from Latin distinctiōnem, action noun of distinguō (‘separate, distinguish’). Attested in English from the late 14th century.

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *stengʷ- ‘to push’

stink, stench, 6 more

through Proto-Italic *stengʷō ‘to push’

extinction, 4 more

through Latin stinguō ‘to put out, extinguish’

instinct, extinct, 6 more

Today it means

noun That which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *stengʷ- / distinction

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