differentiate

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dif·fer·en·ti·ate / ˌdifəˈrenshēˌāt/ • v. [tr.] 1. recognize or ascertain what makes (someone or something) different: children can differentiate the past from the present. ∎  [intr.] (differentiate between) identify differences between (two or more things or people): he is unable to differentiate between fantasy and reality. ∎  make (someone or something) appear different or distinct: Twain was careful to differentiate Huck's speech from that of other white people.2. technical make or become different in the process of growth or development: [tr.] the receptors are developed and differentiated into sense organs | [intr.] the cells differentiate into a wide variety of cell types. 3. Math. transform (a function) into its derivative.DERIVATIVES: dif·fer·en·ti·a·tion / -ˌrenshēˈāshən/ n.dif·fer·en·ti·a·tor / -ˌātər/ n.

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