Basic Details
Word: Distinctive
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Having a special quality or feature that makes something easy to recognise and different from others.
Synonyms: characteristic, special, unique, recognisable
Antonyms: ordinary, common
How to Spell Distinctive
Syllables: dis - tinc - tive
Tricky part: It is distinct with ive added, so the c before the t must stay. The ending is ive, never iv or eve.
Watch out for: distintive, distinctiv, distinktive
Memory tip: Build it in two steps. First write distinct, keeping every letter, then add ive: distinct + ive.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The peacock's distinctive blue neck makes it easy to spot.
Example 2: Hyderabadi biryani has a distinctive smell of saffron and fried onions.
Example 3: Our coach has a distinctive whistle that we can hear across the field.
Fun Fact
Every tiger has a distinctive stripe pattern, so wildlife researchers in India identify and count tigers from camera-trap photographs.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Choose the suffix that completes the word:
distinct____
a) eve
b) iv
c) ive
d) ave
Show answer
c) ive. Distinct plus ive gives distinctive, with the e at the very end.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word: distinctive
a) common
b) plain
c) ordinary
d) characteristic
Show answer
d) characteristic. A characteristic feature belongs to one thing and marks it out, just like a distinctive one.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) expensiv
b) imaginetive
c) atractive
d) distinctive
Show answer
d) distinctive. Attractive needs two t's, expensive a final e and imaginative an a before tive; distinctive is already complete.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
vitcitnsdie
a) destructive
b) distinctive
c) instinctive
d) distinction
Show answer
b) distinctive. There is a d, a v and no o or r among the letters, which gives distinctive.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A distinctive feature is one that ____.
a) every animal has
b) makes something easy to recognise
c) changes every day
d) is hidden from view
Show answer
b) makes something easy to recognise
2. Which is a distinctive feature of a giraffe?
a) its two eyes
b) its four legs
c) its very long neck
d) its ability to breathe air
Show answer
c) its very long neck
