Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Latin
Origin: distans, present participle of distare 'to stand apart', from stare 'to stand'

distant

 adjective
     
Related topics: Family
dis‧tant W3
1

far away

far away in space or time:
the sound of distant gunfire
Her honeymoon seemed a distant memory.
That affair was in the dim and distant past (=a long time ago).
The President hopes to visit Ireland in the not too distant future (=quite soon).
distant from
stars that are distant from our galaxy
2

not friendly

unfriendly:
After the quarrel Sue remained cold and distant.
3

not concentrating

thinking deeply about something private, rather than about what is happening around you:
Geri had a distant look in her eyes.
4

relative

[only before noun]SSF not closely related to you [≠ close]:
a distant cousin
5

distant from something

different from something or not closely connected with it:
The reality of independence was distant from the hopes they had had.
—distantly adverb:
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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