/ ˌdɪfəˈrenʃieɪt; NAmE / verb
1.
differentiate (between) A and B | differentiate A (from B) to recognize or show that two things are not the same
SYN distinguish :
[ v ]
It's difficult to differentiate between the two varieties.
[ vn ]
I can't differentiate one variety from another.
2.
[ vn ] differentiate sth (from sth) to be the particular thing that shows that things or people are not the same
SYN distinguish :
The male's yellow beak differentiates it from the female.
3.
[ v ] differentiate between A and B to treat people or things in a different way, especially in an unfair way
SYN discriminate
► dif·fer·en·ti·ation / ˌdɪfəˌrenʃiˈeɪʃn; NAmE / noun [ U ]
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WORD ORIGIN
early 19th cent.: from medieval Latin differentiat- carried away from, from the verb differentiare , from differentia from different- carrying away, from the verb differre , from dis- from, away + ferre bring, carry.