1. the condition wherein the variations between two items, happenings, or concepts are heightened by the comparison of their alike traits. 2. with regard to cognitive psychology, reference: effect. 3. with regard to the analysis of variance, a comparison amidst set means utilizing one degree of freedom. 4. with regard to making judgments, the variation discovered between an objective being judged and facets of the context it is judged within.
CONTRAST: “Their continually contrasting points of view eventually led them to divorce court.”