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Origin and history of difference

difference(n.)

mid-14c., "condition or relation of being other or different," also "any special mode of non-identity," from Old French difference "difference, distinction; argument, dispute" (12c.) and directly from Latin differentia "diversity, difference," from differentem (nominative differens), present participle of differre "to set apart," from assimilated form of dis- "apart, away from" (see dis-) + ferre "to bear, carry," from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry." Sense of "controversy, dispute, a quarrel" is from late 14c.

difference

also from mid-14c.

Entries linking to difference

diff(n.)

colloquial shortening of difference, attested by 1878 in phrase what's the diff? "what's the difference?"

differential(adj.)

1640s, "making or exhibiting a difference," from Medieval Latin differentialis, from Latin differentia "diversity, difference" (see difference). Related: Differentially. As a noun in mathematics, "an infinitesimal difference between two values of variable quantity," from 1704. Differential calculus is attested from 1702.

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differentiate
1816, transitive, "make different; be what distinguishes between," from Medieval Latin differentiatus, past participle of differentiare, from Latin differentia "diversity, difference" (see difference). Originally a mathematical term, "obtain the differential coefficient of;" intr
remainder
late 14c., remaindre, in law, a right of ownership designed to devolve upon a second party, from Anglo-French remeinder, Old French remaindre, noun use of infinitive, a variant of Old French remanoir "to stay, dwell, remain; be left; hold out," from Latin remanere "to remain, to
dispute
c. 1300, "engage in argumentation or discussion," from Old French desputer (12c.) "dispute, fight over, contend for, discuss" and directly from Latin disputare "weigh, examine, discuss, argue, explain," from dis- "separately, apart" (see dis-) + putare "to count, consider," origi
nuance
"slight or delicate degree of difference in expression, feeling, opinion, etc.," 1781, from French nuance "slight difference...
distinction
.; sense of "a note or mark of difference (between) is from early 15c....Phrase distinction without a difference is by 1570s....
dissension
heated debate, from Old French dissension (12c.) and directly from Latin dissensionem (nominative dissensio) "disagreement, difference...
diversity
mid-14c., diversite, "variety, diverseness;" late 14c., "quality of being diverse, fact of difference between two or more...variety; separateness; that in which two or more things differ," mostly in a neutral sense, from Old French diversete "difference...from Latin diversitatem (nominative diversitas) "contrariety, contradiction, disagreement;" also, as a secondary sense, "difference...
change
c. 1200, "to alter, make different, change" (transitive); early 13c. as "to substitute one for another;" mid-13c. as "to make (something) other than what it was, cause to turn or pass from one state to another;" from late 13c. as "to become different, be altered" (intransitive),
contention
late 14c., contencioun, "strife, dissension, quarreling," from Old French contencion and directly from Latin contentionem (nominative contentio) "a vigorous struggling, a contest, a fight," noun of action from past-participle stem of contendere (see contend). Meaning "a violent e
divergence
"act or state of moving or pointing in opposite directions," 1650s, from Modern Latin divergentia, from divergens, present participle of divergere "go in different directions," from assimilated form of dis- "apart" (see dis-) + vergere "to bend, turn, tend toward" (from PIE root

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