Distinguished

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late 16th century: formed irregularly from French distinguer or Latin distinguere, from dis- ‘apart’ + stinguere ‘put out’ (from a base meaning ‘prick’).

wiktionary

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distinguished ( comparative more distinguished, superlative most distinguished)

etymonline

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distinguished (adj.)

c. 1600, "separate, separated from others that are similar or contiguous" (a sense now obsolete), past-participle adjective from distinguish. Sense of "better known than others in the same class, separated from the generality by superior abilities, character or achievement," hence "famous, celebrated," is by 1714; meaning "having an air of distinction" is from 1748.