A discrimination between things as different and distinct on the basis of their characteristics or attributes:
— It is necessary to make a distinction between love and infatuation.

synonym: differentiation.

Roget 15: difference; variance, variation, variety; diversity, dissimilarity etc. 18; disagreement etc. 24; disparity etc. (inequality) 28; distinction, contradistinction; alteration.    modification, permutation, moods and tenses.    nice distinction, fine distinction, delicate distinction, subtle distinction; shade of difference, nuance; discrimination etc. 465; differentia.    different thing, something else, apple off another tree, another pair of shoes; horse of a different color; this that or the other.    ... show more

Roget 465: discrimination, distinction, differentiation, diagnosis, diorism^†; nice perception; perception of difference, appreciation of difference; estimation etc. 466; nicety, refinement; taste etc. 850; critique, judgment; tact; discernment etc. (intelligence) 498; acuteness, penetration; nuances.    dope [Slang], past performances.    ... show more

Roget 875: nobility, rank, condition, distinction, optimacy^†, blood, pur sang [Fr.], birth, high descent, order; quality, gentility; blue blood of Castile; ancien regime [Fr.].    high life, haute monde [Fr.]; upper classes, upper ten thousand; the four hundred [U.S.]; elite, aristocracy, great folks; fashionable world etc. (fashion) 852.    peer, peerage; house of lords, house of peers; lords, lords temporal and spiritual; noblesse; noble, nobleman; lord, lordling^†; grandee, magnifico [Lat.], hidalgo; daimio [Jap.], daimyo [Jap.], samurai [Jap.], shizoku [Jap.]; don, donship^†; aristocrat, swell, three-tailed bashaw^†; gentleman, squire, squireen^†, patrician, laureate.    gentry, gentlefolk; squirarchy [Slang], better sort magnates, primates, optimates^†; pantisocracy^†.    king etc. (master) 745; atheling^†; prince, duke; marquis, marquisate^†; earl, viscount, baron, thane, banneret^†; baronet, baronetcy^†; knight, knighthood; count, armiger^†, laird; signior^†, seignior; esquire, boyar, margrave, vavasour^†; emir, ameer^†, scherif^†, sharif, effendi, wali; sahib; chevalier, maharaja, nawab, palsgrave^†, pasha, rajah, waldgrave^†.    princess, begum^†, duchess, marchioness; countess &c.; lady, dame; memsahib; Do$a, maharani, rani.    personage of distinction, man of distinction, personage of rank, man of rank, personage of mark, man of mark; notables, notabilities; celebrity, bigwig, magnate, great man, star, superstar; big bug; big gun, great gun; gilded rooster [U.S.]; magni nominis umbra [Lat.] [Lucan]; every inch a king" [Lear]. ... show more

Dutch: discriminatie, distinctie, onderscheiding
Polish: odróżnienie, rozróżnienie

High status importance owing to marked superiority.

synonyms: eminence, note, preeminence.

Roget 873: distinction, mark, name, figure; repute, reputation; good repute, high repute; note, notability, notoriety, eclat, the bubble reputation" [As You Like It], vogue, celebrity; fame, famousness; renown; popularity, aura popularis [Lat.]; approbation etc. 931; credit, succes d'estime [Fr.], prestige, talk of the town; name to conjure with.    glory, honor; luster etc. (light) 420; illustriousness etc. adj.. account, regard, respect; reputableness etc. adj.^†; respectability etc. (probity) 939; good name, good report; fair name.    dignity; stateliness etc. adj.; solemnity, grandeur, splendor, nobility, majesty, sublimity.    rank, standing, brevet rank, precedence, pas, station, place, status; position, position in society; order, degree, baccalaureate, locus standi [Lat.], caste, condition.    greatness etc. adj.; eminence; height etc. 206; importance etc. 642; preeminence, supereminence; high mightiness, primacy; top of the ladder, top of the tree.    elevation; ascent etc. 305; superaltation^†, exaltation; dignification^†, aggrandizement.    dedication, consecration, enthronement, canonization, celebration, enshrinement, glorification.    hero, man of mark, great card, celebrity, worthy, lion, rara avis [Lat.], notability, somebody; classman^†; man of rank etc. (nobleman) 875; pillar of the state, pillar of the church, pillar of the community.    chief etc. (master) 745; first fiddle etc. (proficient) 700; cynosure, mirror; flower, pink, pearl; paragon etc. (perfection) 650; choice and master spirits of the age; elite; star, sun, constellation, galaxy.    ornament, honor, feather in one's cap, halo, aureole, nimbus; halo of glory, blaze of glory, blushing honors; laurels etc. (trophy) 733.    memory, posthumous fame, niche in the temple of fame; immortality, immortal name; magni nominis umbra [Lat.] [Lucan]. ... show more

Dutch: superioriteit, eminentie, uitmuntendheid, voortreffelijkheid
Polish: zaszczytność

A distinguishing difference between similar things or people.

Polish: uprzywilejowanie, wyróżnienie

An honor awarded to someone in recognition of achievement or superiority.

Polish: odróżnienie