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discern

[ dih-surn, -zurn ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; see, recognize, or apprehend:

    They discerned a sail on the horizon.

    Synonyms: , ,

  2. to distinguish mentally; recognize as distinct or different; discriminate:

    He is incapable of discerning right from wrong.

    Synonyms: ,



verb (used without object)

  1. to distinguish or discriminate.

    Synonyms: ,

discern

/ ɪˈɜː /

verb

  1. tr to recognize or perceive clearly
  2. to recognize or perceive (differences)
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • 徱ˈԱ, noun
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Other yvlog Forms

  • 徱·· noun
  • ·徱· verb (used with object)
  • ܲ·徱·Ա adjective
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of discern1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin discernere “to separate,” from dis- dis- 1 + cernere “to decide, separate, sift”
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of discern1

C14: from Old French discerner, from Latin discernere to divide, from dis- 1(apart) + cernere to separate
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Synonym Study

See notice.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Yes, we are living in the golden age of mayonnaise and those of us with discerning taste are lucky to bear witness to it.

From

But it does reveal his own motivation in using that very tactic, not that it was hard to discern before.

From

“We emphasize the critical task of discerning between meaningful results and random fluctuations in the data.”

From

At 80, Gaines has eyes that are clear and discerning, his generous and direct demeanor giving away his decades-long experience as an educator.

From

But my fear is the corpse will be Gaitok, the sweet hotel worker who seems discerning and suspicious of the right people.

From

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More About Discern

What doesdiscern mean?

Discern means to recognize small details, accurately tell the difference between similar things, and make intelligent judgements by using such observations.

The ability to do this or the process of doing it is called discernment, as in Only through careful discernment can you tell a genuine artifact from the work of a counterfeiter.

Things that can be identified or distinguished in such a way can be described as discernible. The adjective discerning can be used to describe someone who has the ability to discern or to describe such an ability, as in Most chefs have a very discerning palate. A close synonym is discriminating.

The verb discriminate can be used to mean the same thing as discern (discriminate also commonly means to treat in a prejudicial way, which is not one of the senses of discern).

Example: These two scents may smell identical to the average person, but an experienced perfumer can discern the difference between them.

Where doescome from?

The first records of the word discern come from the 1300s. It derives from the Latin term discernere, meaning “to separate” or “to divide,” from dis-, meaning “apart,” and cernere, “to separate.”

To discern is to tell things apart—to separate them, even when they appear to be very similar. People who are able to discern are able to make keen observations about things. A person with a sophisticated palate may be able to discern flavors that others cannot. This ability is often associated with wisdom and experience. Discerning also often involves making a judgment, especially about things that aren’t obvious. For example, it takes discernment to accurately judge someone’s character.

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What are some other forms related to discern?

What are some synonyms for discern?

What are some words that share a root or word element with discern?

What are some words that often get used in discussing discern?

How isdiscern used in real life?

Discern is a somewhat formal word and is typically used in serious contexts.

Try usingdiscern!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of discern?

A. differentiate
B. distinguish
C. discriminate
D. ignore

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