discriminate

verb

dis·crim·i·nate di-ˈskri-mə-ˌnāt

discriminated; discriminating

Synonyms of discriminate next

transitive verb

: to mark or perceive the distinguishing or peculiar features of

Depth perception may be defined as the ability to appreciate or discriminate the third dimension …—

H. G. Armstrong

: distinguish, differentiate

discriminate hundreds of colors

: to distinguish by discerning or exposing differences : to recognize or identify as separate and distinct

discriminate right from wrong

especially : to distinguish from another like object

discriminate the individual voices in the choir

intransitive verb

: to make a distinction

discriminate among historical sources

discriminates between literary fiction and popular fiction

: to use good judgment

: to make a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit

discriminate in favor of your friends

discriminate against a certain nationality

Did you know?

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 of discriminate in a Sentence

The school is not allowed to discriminate. the human eye can discriminate between very slight gradations of color

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

In a landmark case, Asian American students, represented by Students for Fair Admissions, sued Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, alleging that affirmative action policies discriminated against them in college admissions. —

Jack Kelly, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 Without proper oversight and training data, autonomous AI can make choices that conflict with our wishes or even with human values or ethics, such as prioritizing profit over safety or discriminating against certain groups. —

Marc Benioff, TIME, 25 Nov. 2024 In March, three lactose-intolerant women sued Starbucks in federal court, alleging that the surcharge discriminated against customers with allergies. —

Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2024 Taxpayer funded 'discrimination' Other Northern Kentucky voters are worried public money could be used at schools that would be able to discriminate in other ways, too. —

Jolene Almendarez, The Enquirer, 27 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for discriminate

Word History

Etymology

Latin discriminatus, past participle of discriminare, from discrimin-, discrimen distinction, from discernere to distinguish between — more at discern

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler

The first known use of discriminate was in 1615

See more words from the same year

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Discriminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discriminate. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

discriminate

verb

dis·crim·i·nate dis-ˈkrim-ə-ˌnāt

discriminated; discriminating

: to see the special features of

discriminate the geologic features of an area

: distinguish sense 1, differentiate

discriminate hundreds of colors

: to be able to tell the difference especially between similar things

discriminate between a tree and a bush

: to treat some people better than others without any fair or proper reason

discriminable

-ə-nə-bəl

adjective

Medical Definition

discriminate

verb

dis·crim·i·nate dis-ˈkrim-ə-ˌnāt

discriminated; discriminating

transitive verb

: to respond selectively to (a stimulus)

intransitive verb

: to respond selectively

the capacity of organisms to discriminate—

J. A. Swets

Legal Definition

discriminate

intransitive verb

dis·crim·i·nate dis-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt

discriminated; discriminating

: to make a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit

especially : to make a difference in treatment on a basis prohibited by law (as national origin, race, sex, religion, age, or disability) see also bona fide occupational qualification, equal protection, reverse discrimination, suspect class, Civil Rights Act of 1964

discrimination

dis-ˌkri-mə-ˈnā-shən

noun

Last Updated: 1 Dec 2024 - Updated example sentences

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discriminate

verb

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Synonyms

Examples of discriminate in a Sentence

Word History

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near discriminate

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

Legal Definition