distinction

The story

1. Latin · derived fromdistinctiōnem
2. Old French · derived fromdistinction
3. Middle English · inherited fromdistinccioun
4. English todaydistinction

From Middle English distinccioun, from Old French distinction (attested from the 12th century), borrowed from Latin distinctiōnem, action noun of distinguō (“separate, distinguish”). By surface analysis, distinct (“to distinguish”) + -ion. Attested in English from the late 14th century.