late 14c., "not the same, unlike, dissimilar in nature or quality as well as state of being," from Old French different (14c.), from Latin differentem (nominative differens) "differing, different," present participle of differre "to set apart," from assimilated form of dis- "apart, away from" (see dis-) + ferre "to bear, carry," from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry." Colloquial sense of "special, out of the ordinary" is attested by 1912. Related: Differently.
