distant: Meaning and Definition of

dis•tant

1. far off or apart in space; not near at hand; remote or removed (often fol. by from): a distant place; a town three miles distant from here.
2. apart or far off in time: distant centuries past.
3. remote or far apart in any respect: a distant relative.
4. reserved or aloof; not familiar or cordial: a distant greeting.
5. arriving from or going to a distance, as a communication, journey, etc.: I have here a distant letter from Japan.