The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word STYLISED
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
S
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More clues leading to the result STYLISED
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "are given a distinctive designation?" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case are given a distinctive designation? = stylised.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does STYLISED mean?
STYLISED verb- To represent in a particular style.
- To represent abstractly in a conventional manner, commonly fancifully symbolic, to identify a particular item, by omitting most of the detail that is not unique to the item in question.
- Made to conform to some style.
- Represented according to some convention, omitting dispensable detail, rather than in a realistic or literal manner.