From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Differentiate \Dif'fer*en"ti*ate\, verb (used with an object)
1. To distinguish or mark by a specific difference; to effect a difference in, as regards classification; to develop differential characteristics in; to specialize; to desynonymize.
The word then was differentiated into the two forms then and than. --Earle.
Two or more of the forms assumed by the same original word become differentiated in signification. --Dr. Murray.
2. To express the specific difference of; to describe the properties of (a thing) whereby it is differenced from another of the same class; to discriminate. --Earle.
3. (Math.) To obtain the differential, or differential coefficient, of; as, to differentiate an algebraic expression, or an equation.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Differentiate \Dif'fer*en"ti*ate\, verb (used without an object) (Biol.) To acquire a distinct and separate character. --Huxley.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
verb
1: mark as different; "We distinguish several kinds of maple" [syn: {distinguish}, {separate}, {secern}, {secernate}, {severalize}, {severalise}, {tell}, {tell apart}]
2: be a distinctive feature, attribute, or trait; sometimes in a very positive sense; "His modesty distinguishes him form his peers" [syn: {distinguish}, {mark}]
3: calculate a derivative; take the derivative [ant: {integrate}]
4: become different during development; "cells differentiate" [ant: {dedifferentiate}]
5: evolve so as to lead to a new species or develop in a way most suited to the environment [syn: {speciate}, {specialize}, {specialise}]
6: become distinct and acquire a different character
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
127 Moby Thesaurus words for "differentiate": adapt, adjust, alter, analyze, anatomize, argue, atomize, be characteristic, be indicative of, be significant of, be symptomatic of, bespeak, betoken, break up, calibrate, calibrated, change, characterize, chop logic, comprehend, connote, contradistinguish, contrast, convert, decrease, define, demarcate, demark, denominate, denote, describe, desynonymize, differ, difference, discern, disclose, discriminate, disequalize, disjoin, display, dissent, distinguish, disunify, divaricate, diverge, diversify, divide, draw the line, earmark, entail, express, extricate, give evidence, give token, gradational, grade, gradual, graduate, graduated, hierarchic, highlight, hint, identify, increase, indicate, individualize, individuate, involve, keynote, make a distinction, manifest, mark, mark off, mark out, mark the interface, mean, modify, note, oppose, particularize, personalize, pick out, progressive, refine a distinction, regular, relieve, reveal, scalar, screen, screen out, segregate, select, separate, set a limit, set apart, set off, set the pace, set the tone, sever, severalize, shade off, show, sieve, sieve out, sift, sift out, signify, sort, sort out, sound the keynote, specialize, split hairs, stand for, subdivide, subtilize, suggest, symptomatize, symptomize, tell apart, testify, transform, transmute, understand, variate, variegate, vary, winnow
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