Definition of "contradistinction"

The doctrine that everything is God, in contradistinction to the doctrine that God is everything.

1911, Ambrose Bierce, “pantheism”, in The Devil’s Dictionary, New York, N.Y., Washington, D.C.: The Neale Publishing Company

Captain John Smith gives the name Reef Knot in 1627. Dana gives the name Square Knot in 1841. Few sailors speak of Square Knot except in contradistinction to Granny Knot but it is the common shore name for the knot and is in good repute among sailors.

1944, Clifford W. Ashley, The Ashley Book of Knots, page 220

It will be noted that on this service, in contradistinction to that from and to Bristol, extra trains are provided to cope with peak-hour conditions; [...].

1961 October, “The winter timetables of British Railways: Western Region”, in Trains Illustrated, page 591