Contradistinction

Origin

contra- + distinction

Full definition of contradistinction

Noun

1. The quality of being contradistinctive.
2. Distinction by contrast; the displaying of something, A, to show what B is not.
• 1911: Ambrose Bierce, Pantheism n
• The doctrine that everything is God, in contradistinction to the doctrine that God is everything.
3. We used hamburgers and soda in contradistinction to healthy food.

Derived terms

• contradistinctive
• contradistinctively

Related terms

• contradistinguish