1. marked difference: a difference, or something that is different in stark contrast to the luxury they formerly enjoyed
2. juxtaposition of different things: an effect created by placing or arranging very different things such as colors, shades, or textures next to each other
3. degree of lightness and darkness: the difference, or the use of differences, between the lightest and the darkest parts of something, e.g. to create a special effect in a painting, photograph, or television image
transitive and intransitive verb (past and past participlecon·trast·ed, present participlecon·trast·ing, 3rd person present singularcon·trasts)
Definition:
seem or make things seem different: to compare different things or arrange them in a way that highlights their differences, or be markedly different when compared with something These poems have a mature voice when contrasted with her earlier work.
[15th century. Via French< Italian contrastare "stand against" < Latin stare "to stand"]