colloquial shortening of difference, attested by 1878 in phrase what's the diff? "what's the difference?"
dieting
dietitian
Dietrich
Dieu et mon droit
dif-
diff
differ
difference
different
differential
differentiate
)window.location='https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=byronic106@yahoo.com&lc=US&item_name=Donation+to +Help+Keep+Etymonline+Free+and+Open&no_note=0&cn=&curency_code=USD&bn=PP-DonationsBF:btn_donateCC_LG.gif:NonHosted'){kind=link}