Word Study
difference
OXFORD DICTIONARY
difference, n. & v.
--n.
1 the state or condition of being different or unlike.
2 a point in which things differ; a distinction.
3 a degree of unlikeness.
4 a the quantity by which amounts differ; a deficit (will have to make up the difference). b the remainder left after subtraction.
5 a a disagreement, quarrel, or dispute. b the grounds of disagreement (put aside their differences).
6 Heraldry an alteration in a coat of arms distinguishing members of a family.
--v.tr. Heraldry alter (a coat of arms) to distinguish members of a family.
--n.
1 the state or condition of being different or unlike.
2 a point in which things differ; a distinction.
3 a degree of unlikeness.
4 a the quantity by which amounts differ; a deficit (will have to make up the difference). b the remainder left after subtraction.
5 a a disagreement, quarrel, or dispute. b the grounds of disagreement (put aside their differences).
6 Heraldry an alteration in a coat of arms distinguishing members of a family.
--v.tr. Heraldry alter (a coat of arms) to distinguish members of a family.
Idiom
make a (or all the etc.) difference (often foll. by to) have a significant effect or influence (on a person, situation, etc.). make no difference (often foll. by to) have no effect (on a person, situation, etc.). with a difference having a new or unusual feature.
Etymology
ME f. OF f. L differentia (as DIFFERENT)
THESAURUS
difference
aberrance, aberrancy, aberration, abnormality, abnormity, about-face, accommodation, account, achievement, adaptation, adjustment, aggregate, agreement to disagree, alerion, alienation, alteration, amelioration, amorphism, amount, animal charge, annulet, anomalism, anomalousness, anomaly, antagonism, apostasy, argent, argument, argumentation, armorial bearings, armory, arms, asymmetry, azure, bad copy, bad likeness, balance, bandeau, bar, bar sinister, baton, bearings, bend, bend sinister, betterment, billet, blazon, blazonry, bordure, box score, break, broad arrow, cadency mark, camouflage, canton, capriciousness, cast, change, change of heart, changeability, changeableness, chaplet, character, characteristic, charge, chevron, chief, choppiness, clash, clashing, coat of arms, cockatrice, conflict, constructive change, contention, continuity, contradiction, contradistinction, contrariety, contrast, controversy, conversion, coronet, count, counter-culture, credit, crescent, crest, cross, cross moline, cross-purposes, crown, dappleness, defection, deficit, degeneration, degenerative change, derangement, deterioration, deviation, device, difference of opinion, differencing, differentiate, differentiation, difficulty, disaccord, disaccordance, disagreement, disapprobation, disapproval, discern, discontinuity, discord, discordance, discordancy, discrepancy, discriminate, disequilibrium, disguise, disharmony, disorder, disparity, disproportion, dispute, dissatisfaction, dissemblance, dissension, dissent, dissentience, dissidence, dissimilarity, dissimilation, dissimilitude, dissonance, distinction, distinguish, disunion, disunity, divarication, divergence, divergency, diversification, diversion, diversity, dividedness, division, dropping out, eagle, eccentricity, epact, ermine, ermines, erminites, erminois, erraticism, escutcheon, extricate, faction, falcon, fess, fess point, field, file, fitting, flanch, fleur-de-lis, flip-flop, fret, fur, fusil, garland, gradual change, griffin, gules, gyron, hatchment, helmet, heraldic device, heterogeneity, heteromorphism, honor point, idiosyncrasy, imbalance, impalement, impaling, improvement, inaccordance, inadequacy, incommensurability, incomparability, incongruity, inconsistency, inconstancy, inequality, inequity, inescutcheon, inferiority, injustice, instability, insufficiency, irregularity, jarring, jerkiness, label, leftovers, lion, lozenge, makeup, mantling, marshaling, martlet, mascle, melioration, mercuriality, mere caricature, metal, metamorphosis, minority opinion, misunderstanding, mitigation, modification, modulation, monstrosity, motleyness, motto, mullet, mutability, nature, negation, net, nombril point, nonagreement, nonassent, nonconcurrence, nonconformism, nonconformity, nonconsent, nonstandardization, nonuniformity, number, octofoil, odds, opposition, oppugnancy, or, ordinary, orle, otherness, overbalance, overthrow, pale, paly, pean, peculiarity, pheon, polarization, poor imitation, product, purpure, qualification, quantity, quarrel, quarter, quartering, radical change, raggedness, re-creation, realignment, reckoning, recusance, recusancy, redesign, reform, reformation, rejection, remainder, remaking, renewal, repudiation, repugnance, reshaping, rest, restructuring, reversal, revival, revivification, revolution, rose, sable, saltire, score, scutcheon, secession, separate, sever, severalize, shield, shift, shortcoming, spread eagle, strife, subnormality, subordinary, sudden change, sum, summation, superiority, surplus, switch, tale, tally, tenne, teratism, the bottom line, the story, the whole story, tincture, torse, total, total change, transformation, transition, tressure, turn, turnabout, unbalance, unconformism, unconformity, underground, unevenness, unfair discrimination, unharmoniousness, unicorn, unlikeness, unnaturalism, unnaturalness, unorthodoxy, unresemblance, unsameness, unsimilarity, unsteadiness, upheaval, vair, variability, variance, variation, variegation, variety, variousness, versatility, vert, violent change, wavering, whole, withdrawal, worsening, wreath, x number, yaleROGET THESAURUS
difference
Difference
N difference, variance, variation, variety, diversity, dissimilarity, disagreement, disparity, distinction, contradistinction, alteration, modification, permutation, moods and tenses, nice distinction, fine distinction, delicate distinction, subtle distinction, shade of difference, nuance, discrimination, differentia, different thing, something else, apple off another tree, another pair of shoes, horse of a different color, this that or the other, differing, different, diverse, heterogeneous, multifarious, polyglot, distinguishable, dissimilar, varied, modified, diversified, various, divers, all manner of, all kinds of, variform, daedal, other, another, not the same, unequal, unmatched, widely apart, poles apart, distinctive, characteristic, discriminative, distinguishing, incommensurable, incommensurate, differently, il y a fagots et fagots.Dissimilarity
N dissimilarity, dissimilaritude, unlikeness, diversity, disparity, dissemblance, divergence, variation, difference, novelty, originality, creativeness, oogamy, dissimilar, unlike, disparate, divergent, of a different kind, unmatched, unique, new, novel, unprecedented, original, nothing of the kind, no such thing, quite another thing, far from it, cast in a different mold, tertium quid, as like a dock as a daisy, very like a whale, as different as chalk from cheese, as different as Macedon and Monmouth, lucus a non lucendo, diversified, otherwise, diis aliter visum, no more like my father than I to Hercules.Inequality
N inequality, disparity, imparity, odds, difference, unevenness, inclination of the balance, partiality, bias, weight, shortcoming, casting weight, make-weight, superiority, inferiority, inequation, unequal, uneven, disparate, partial, unbalanced, overbalanced, top-heavy, lopsided, biased, skewed, disquiparant, haud passibus aequis.Number
N number, symbol, numeral, figure, cipher, digit, integer, counter, round number, formula, function, series, sum, difference, complement, subtrahend, product, multiplicand, multiplier, multiplicator, coefficient, multiple, dividend, divisor, factor, quotient, submultiple, fraction, rational number, surd, irrational number, transcendental number, mixed number, complex number, complex conjugate, numerator, denominator, decimal, circulating decimal, repetend, common measure, aliquot part, prime number, prime, relative prime, prime factor, prime pair, reciprocal, totient, binary number, octal number, hexadecimal number, permutation, combination, variation, election, ratio, proportion, comparison, progression, arithmetical progression, geometrical progression, harmonical progression, percentage, permilage, figurate numbers, pyramidal numbers, polygonal numbers, power, root, exponent, index, logarithm, antilogarithm, modulus, base, differential, integral, fluxion, fluent, numeral, complementary, divisible, aliquot, reciprocal, prime, relatively prime, fractional, decimal, figurate, incommensurable, proportional, exponential, logarithmic, logometric, differential, fluxional, integral, totitive, positive, negative, rational, irrational, surd, radical, real, complex, imaginary, finite, infinite, impossible, numerically, modulo.Discord
N discord, disagreement, discord, disaccord, dissidence, dissonance, jar, clash, shock, jarring, jostling, screw loose, variance, difference, dissension, misunderstanding, cross purposes, odds, brouillerie, division, split, rupture, disruption, division in the camp, house divided against itself, disunion, breach, schism, feud, faction, quarrel, dispute, tiff, tracasserie, squabble, altercation, barney, demel_e, snarl, spat, towrow, words, high words, wrangling, jangle, brabble, cross questions and crooked answers, snip-snap, family jars, polemics, litigation, strife, warfare, outbreak, open rupture, declaration of war, broil, brawl, row, racket, hubbub, rixation, embroilment, embranglement, imbroglio, fracas, breach of the peace, piece of work, scrimmage, rumpus, breeze, squall, riot, disturbance, commotion, bear garden, Donnybrook, Donnybrook Fair, subject of dispute, ground of quarrel, battle ground, disputed point, bone of contention, bone to pick, apple of discord, casus belli, question at issue, vexed question, vexata quaestio, brand of discord, troublous times, cat-and-dog life, contentiousness, enmity, hate, Kilkenny cats, disputant, strange bedfellows, discordant, disagreeing, out of tune, ajar, on bad terms, dissentient, unreconciled, unpacified, contentious, quarrelsome, unpacific, gladiatorial, controversial, polemic, disputatious, factious, litigious, litigant, pettifogging, at odds, at loggerheads, at daggers drawn, at variance, at issue, at cross purposes, at sixes and sevens, at feud, at high words, up in arms, together by the ears, in hot water, embroiled, torn, disunited, quot homines tot sententiae, no love lost between them, non nostrum tantas componere lites, Mars gravior sub pace latet, discord, discordance, dissonance, cacophony, want of harmony, caterwauling, harshness, Babel, Dutch concert, cat's concert, marrowbones and cleavers, discordant, dissonant, absonant, out of tune, tuneless, unmusical, untunable, unmelodious, immelodious, unharmonious, inharmonious, singsong, cacophonous, harsh, jarring.For further exploring for "difference" in Webster Dictionary Online