dif·fer·en·ti·ate [ dìffə rénshee àyt ](past and past participledif·fer·en·ti·at·ed, present participledif·fer·en·ti·at·ing, 3rd person present singulardif·fer·en·ti·ates)
verb
Definition:
1. transitive and intransitive verb see differences between things: to see or show the differences between two or more things
2. transitive verb be difference: to establish a difference between two things or among several things
3. transitive and intransitive verb make or become different: to make something different or specialized by modifying it, or become different or specialized by being modified
4. intransitive verb embryology become specialized: to change from a generalized form into a form specialized for a tissue, organ, or other body part
(
refers to embryo cells
)
5. transitive verb mathematics calculate derivative of function: to calculate the mathematical derivative of a function
[Early 19th century. < medieval Latin differentiat-, past participle of differentiare< Latin differre (see differ)]
