diffrent

Diffrent is not a standard English word. In most contexts it is a misspelling of the adjective different, which means not the same as another or each other. The form is rarely used deliberately, but it may appear in informal messages, captions, or as a typographical error. In some cases, "Diffrent" can be encountered as a stylized brand name or a fictional term, but such uses do not reflect correct spelling of the ordinary word.

Etymology and orthography: The correct word different derives from Latin differens, via Old French differant, and entered English in the medieval period. The common error diffrent drops the e that sits between the double f and the following r in different; the result is a spellings that resembles the original consonant cluster but omits a vowel that is essential to the standard form.

Usage and conventions: In formal writing, diffrent is treated as a misspelling and should be corrected to different. Spell-checkers frequently flag it as incorrect. Editors may retain the misspelling in quoted material to reflect a character’s error or a source text’s typographical defect, but not as a substitute for the standard spelling in normal prose.

See also: different; spelling, orthography; common misspellings.