differentiate

To recognize, show, or create the difference between two things.

• Can you differentiate between the two sounds?
• Her clear writing differentiates her work from other reports.
• The company differentiated its products through better design.

How to use it: differentiate between A and B (Can you differentiate between these two birds?); differentiate A from B (Its bright colour differentiates this species from others.)

Similar words: distinguish, tell apart

Common phrases: differentiate between things, differentiate something from something

To calculate how fast a mathematical function changes when its input changes.

• Differentiate this function first.
• We differentiated the equation with respect to time.
• Can you differentiate this expression using the chain rule?

How to use it: differentiate something with respect to something (Differentiate the function with respect to time.)

Similar words: find the derivative of

Opposites: integrate

Common phrases: differentiate a function, differentiate the equation