Use of absolute value sign for determinants

Question

I was wondering if there is a connection with the use of absolute value signs with the notation of a matrix's determinant. I understand there is some quantifying characteristic with the determinant of a matrix. It is easy to see the absolute value as a distance function, in the spaces $\mathbb{R}^n$ as well as $\mathbb{C}^n$. I was wondering if the determinant can be thought of as a "distance" per se in relation to matrices and if that was the determining factor (pardon the pun) in using the notation.