Is Gray Hair “Distinctive” or “Distinguished”?

I’m balding; one friend of mine isn’t, which pleases his wife.

Over the weekend, she and I discussed her husband’s graying hair. She said his hair was distinctive. Then she corrected herself and said it was distinguished.

I started graying long before my hair thinned. I remember hearing that graying temples makes one look distinguished.

But is that right? I went to the dictionary.

Distinctive means “serving to distinguish.” It lists as a synonym characteristic.

On the same page, distinguish means “to perceive a difference in,” “to mark as separate or different,” “to set apart into kinds, classes, or categories” and “to single out: take special notice of.”

So, it appears both can be correct: Gray hair can be distinguished, but hair that is graying can be distinctive.

I love those fine lines, like fine hair.

Thanks to Sue S. for the utterances.

Until next time! Use the right words!

leebarnathan.com

Do You Have “Children” or “Kids”?

Using kids to mean children is so commonplace today that one might forget that until the 1840s, kid always meant “a young goat.”

My dictionary says kid goes back to the 13th century, while dictionary.com places it between 1150-1200. That’s a long time to refer to a young goat as a kid and a young human as a child.

Today, using kid to mean child is still considered informal. Then again, aren’t we as a society becoming more and more informal?

Of course, if you’re a farmer, you might have kids and children. I sure hope your young humans know the difference. I doubt if your goats care.

Until next time! Use the right words!

leebarnathan.com

I “Compliment” You on Correctly Using “Complement”

These two words are, unfortunately, mixed up too often. I usually see one used instead of the other. Most likely, the person says “compliment” when he or she means “complement.”

To compliment, of course, means to praise: The boss complimented his staff on a job well done.

To complement, however, means to fill up, complete or make perfect: The ship has a complement of 200 soldiers. That color complements your skin.

Similarly, complementary means two or more items go together. But complimentary means free, which likely will lead to someone paying you a compliment.

Until next time! Use the right words!

leebarnathan.com