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distinguere

to distinguish

verb dee-STEEN-gweh-reh Less Common

Origin: Latin distinguere (to separate by pricking)

Also means

to tell apart

Usage Note

Distinguere is irregular: past participle distinto. The reflexive distinguersi means to stand out or excel: si è distinto per il suo coraggio (he stood out for his courage). Distinto also lives on as the adjective 'distinguished' and in the formal letter closing distinti saluti (kind regards).

Examples

"È difficile distinguere i due gemelli."

Natural Translation

It is difficult to tell the two twins apart.

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