[dis-tuh
nt] 
| 1. | far off or apart in space; not near at hand; remote or removed (often fol. by from): a distant place; a town three miles distant from here. |
| 2. | apart or far off in time: distant centuries past. |
| 3. | remote or far apart in any respect: a distant relative. |
| 4. | reserved or aloof; not familiar or cordial: a distant greeting. |
| 5. | arriving from or going to a distance, as a communication, journey, etc.: I have here a distant letter from Japan. |
| dis·tant (dĭs'tənt) adj.
[Middle English distaunt, from Old French, from Latin distāns, distant-, present participle of distāre, to be remote : dis-, apart; see dis- + stāre, to stand; see stā- in Indo-European roots.] dis'tant·ly adv. |