con·trast

[v. kuhn-trast, kon-trast; n. kon-trast]
verb (used with object)
1.
to compare in order to show unlikeness or differences; note the opposite natures, purposes, etc., of: Contrast the political rights of Romans and Greeks.
verb (used without object)
2.
to exhibit unlikeness on comparison with something else; form a contrast.
3.
Linguistics. to differ in a way that can serve to distinguish meanings: The sounds (p) and (b) contrast in the words “pin” and “bin.”
noun
4.
the act of contrasting; the state of being contrasted.
5.
a striking exhibition of unlikeness.
6.
a person or thing that is strikingly unlike in comparison: The weather down here is a welcome contrast to what we're having back home.
7.
opposition or juxtaposition of different forms, lines, or colors in a work of art to intensify each element's properties and produce a more dynamic expressiveness.
8.
Photography. the relative difference between light and dark areas of a print or negative.
9.
Television. the brightness ratio of the lightest to the darkest part of the television screen image.
10.
Linguistics. a difference between linguistic elements, especially sounds, that can serve to distinguish meanings.
Origin:
1480–90; (v.) < Middle French contraster < Italian contrastare to contest < Latin contrā- contra-1 + stāre to stand; (noun) earlier contraste < French < Italian contrasto conflict, derivative of contrastare

Related forms
con·trast·a·ble, adjective
con·trast·a·bly, adverb
con·trast·ing·ly, adverb
qua·si-con·trast·ed, adjective
un·con·trast·a·ble, adjective
un·con·trast·a·b·ly, adverb
un·con·trast·ed, adjective
un·con·trast·ing, adjective
well-con·trast·ed, adjective

Can be confused: compare, contrast (see usage note at compare).

Synonyms
1. differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, oppose.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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00:10
Contrast is always a great word to know.
So is phrase structure. Does it mean:
the hierarchical arrangement of the constituent words and phrases of a sentence
a theory of phonology that uses a set of rules to derive phonetic representations from abstract underlying forms
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Collins
World English Dictionary
contrast
 
—vb
1.  (often foll by with) to distinguish or be distinguished by comparison of unlike or opposite qualities
 
—n
2.  distinction or emphasis of difference by comparison of opposite or dissimilar things, qualities, etc (esp in the phrases by contrast, in contrast toorwith)
3.  a person or thing showing notable differences when compared with another
4.  (in painting) the effect of the juxtaposition of different colours, tones, etc
5.  a.  (of a photographic emulsion) the degree of density measured against exposure used
 b.  the extent to which adjacent areas of an optical image, esp on a television screen or in a photographic negative or print, differ in brightness
6.  psychol the phenomenon that when two different but related stimuli are presented close together in space and/or time they are perceived as being more different than they really are
 
[C16: (n): via French from Italian, from contrastare (vb), from Latin contra- against + stare to stand]
 
con'trastable
 
—adj
 
con'trastably
 
—adv
 
con'trasting
 
—adj
 
con'trastive
 
—adj
 
con'trastively
 
—adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

contrast
late 17c., from Fr. contraster, from It. contrastare "stand out against," from V.L. *contrastare "to withstand," from L. contra "against" (see contra) + stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). M.E. had contrest "to fight against,
to withstand," which became extinct. Modern word re-introduced as an art term. Related: Contrasted (1764).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
After all students have presented their reports, have students compare and
  contrast information.
Compare and contrast causes for extinction, past and present.
Contrast helps highlight certain areas they can be seen better.
And there, by contrast, actively managed funds don't hold up well.
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