différente

Différente is the feminine singular form of the French adjective différent, meaning not the same or distinct. It agrees with feminine nouns and is used to indicate variation, contrast, or disparity relative to a reference point. The corresponding forms are différent (masculine singular), différents (masculine plural), and différentes (feminine plural).

In usage, différent(e) is placed after the noun in standard French: for example une idée différente, des résultats différents, une approche différente. It can describe people, objects, ideas, or situations that differ from another, and it often introduces a comparison or a distinction. The sense can range from small distinctions to broad contrasts, depending on context. Some phrases emphasize differences more strongly than others, but the core meaning remains “not the same.”

Etymology and related terms: diffèrent etymologically derive from the Latin differentem, from differre, meaning to carry apart or to differ. The noun form is différence. Related adjectives and nouns include distinct, divers, variation, and différence, which share the theme of non-identical qualities or states. In French, as in many Romance languages, the form differente is strictly a gender- and number-based variant of the base adjective, rather than a separate word with a different meaning.