the act of differing; the state or measure of being different or unlike; distinction; dissimilarity; unlikeness; variation; as, a difference of quality in paper; a difference in degrees of heat, or of light; what is the difference between the innocent and the guilty?-disagreement in opinion; dissension; controversy; quarrel; hence, cause of dissension; matter in controversy.-that by which one thing differs from another; that which distinguishes or causes to differ; mark of distinction; characteristic quality; specific attribute.-choice; preference.-an addition to a coat of arms to distinguish the bearings of two persons, which would otherwise be the same. see augmentation, and marks of cadency, under cadency.-the quality or attribute which is added to those of the genus to constitute a species; a differentia.-the quantity by which one quantity differs from another, or the remainder left after subtracting the one from the other.-to cause to differ; to make different; to mark as different; to distinguish.