distant
UK: ˈdɪstənt | US: ˈdɪstənt
adj. far away in space or time
adj. emotionally detached or reserved
adj. slightly similar but not identical
distant = dis<apart> + st<stand> + ant<adjective suffix>
- dis-: From Latin dis-, meaning "apart" or "away."
- st-: From Latin stare, meaning "to stand."
- -ant: A suffix forming adjectives, often indicating a state or quality (e.g., "resistant," "dominant").
Etymology Origin:
The word "distant" traces back to Latin distantem (nominative distans), the present participle of distare, meaning "to stand apart." The root stare ("to stand") is foundational in many English words (e.g., "station," "constant"). Over time, distant evolved to describe physical separation, emotional detachment, or abstract dissimilarity, retaining its core logic of "standing apart."
The mountains appeared distant in the hazy afternoon light.
Despite their close relationship, he felt emotionally distant from his brother.
The two theories are distant cousins, sharing only a few basic principles.
She kept a distant tone during the conversation, avoiding personal topics.
The sound of distant thunder warned of an approaching storm.