Learn English – the meaning of “differences of degree and not of kind”

meaning-in-context

Trying to get the idea from the sentence.

What I am saying is these are only differences of degree and not of
kind, as in labelling a minority as religious or political or social.

What is the meaning of "differences of degree and not of kind"?

Best Answer

The meaning behind this would be that the differences are not of sort, type, or style, but of level, stage, or class.

Basically, 'degree' and 'kind' are generalizing words for different types of other words.

  • Cats, dogs, and mice are kinds of animals.
  • And first-, second-, and third-degree burns are degrees of burns.

To differentiate things by kind would mean to contrast or compare them.

Differentiating by degree would mean comparing things within a group of the same things, but on different stages/levels.

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