Discriminate is a verb meaning to see the special features of something or to distinguish differences. It can also mean to treat differently on a basis other than individual merit. The verb has a neutral history and comes from the Latin "discriminare", meaning "to distinguish."
Discriminate es un verbo que significa ver las características especiales de algo o distinguir las diferencias. También puede significar tratar de manera diferente por motivos distintos al mérito individual. El verbo tiene una historia neutral y proviene del latín "discriminare", que significa "distinguir".
| Word | discriminate |
|---|---|
| Date | December 23, 2019 |
| Type | verb |
| Syllables | diss-KRIM-uh-nayt |
| Etymology | Although many methods or motives for discriminating are unfair and undesirable (or even illegal), the verb itself has a neutral history. English speakers borrowed it from the past participle of the Latin verb discriminare (meaning "to distinguish or differentiate"), which, itself, is derived from the verb discernere, meaning "to distinguish between." Discernere, in turn, was formed by combining the prefix dis- (meaning "apart") and cernere ("to sift"). Other descendants of discernere include discern and discernible (as you no doubt guessed), discreet, and indiscretion. In addition, the root cernere gives us concern, certain, decree, and even secret. |
| Examples | "Cashless restaurants … have faced criticism that they discriminate against low-income consumers who may not have bank accounts." — Leslie Patton, Bloomberg.com, 13 Nov. 2019 "That evening … he was conscious of a keen desire to get away, to go abroad, to leave behind him the little chatter his resignation would be sure to produce in an age of publicity which never discriminated as to the quality of events." — Henry James, The Tragic Muse, 1890 |
| Definition | 1 a : to see the special features of b : to perceive a difference in : differentiate 2 : to distinguish by discerning or exposing differences; especially : to distinguish from another like object 3 : to make a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit |
Tags: wordoftheday::verb
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