I. |difə|renchəl adjective
Etymology: probably from French différentiel, from Middle French differentiel, from different + -iel -ial
1.
a. : of, relating to, or constituting a difference or distinction : distinguishing : making a difference or distinction between individuals or classes
differential legislation such as income tax laws
b. : based upon or resulting from a differential
differential freight charges
c. : functioning or proceeding differently or at a different rate (as among members of a group or parts of a whole)
differential melting results in an occasional sunken pool in the surface of the glacier
specifically : resulting from crustal movements whereby one part of the earth's crust is displaced in relation to other parts
2. : relating to or involving a differential or differentiation
3. : relating to quantitative differences (as of motion, area, pressure, or leverage) : producing effects by reason of such differences
II. noun
( -s )
1.
a. : an arbitrary increment of an independent variable
b. : the product of the derivative of a function of one variable by the increment of the independent variable
c. : the sum of the products of each partial derivative of several variables by the arbitrary increment of the corresponding variable
2.
a. : a difference between transportation rates over two routes to the same point or over routes to different points competing for the same traffic often allowed to one or more of a number of carriers in order to insure equality in the distribution of traffic among competing lines — compare differential route
b. : an amount added to or deducted from a basic transportation rate, fare, or charge — compare port differential
3.
a. : a difference in wage rate for similar work of comparable quality and quantity granted or imposed as a reflection of varying circumstances (as in location or time of work) or of varying status (as of race or sex)
a shift differential consisting of additional pay for night work
b. : a difference in wage reflecting difference in job duties, complexity of tasks, volume or quality of production, level of skill required
4. : the price difference between the basic grade and a superior or inferior grade of a commodity deliverable on a contract
5.
a. : differential gear
b. : planet differential
6. : the amount or degree by which comparable individuals or classes of individuals differ in some particular respect
wide differentials in living standards between the two countries
: a difference between comparable things
price differential between regular and high-test gasoline
7. : differential blood count