discern
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From Middle English discernen < Old French discerner < Latin discernere (“‘to separate, divide, distinguish, discern’”) < dis- (“‘apart’”) + cernere (“‘to separate’”); see certain.
[edit] Pronunciation
(modern pronunciation)
(older pronunciation)
[edit] Verb
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Infinitive |
Third person singular |
Simple past |
Past participle |
Present participle |
to discern (third-person singular simple present discerns, present participle discerning, simple past and past participle discerned)
- (transitive) To detect with the senses, especially with the eyes.
- (transitive) To perceive, recognize, or comprehend with the mind; to descry.
- (transitive) To distinguish something as being different from something else; to differentiate.
- He was too young to discern right from wrong.
- (intransitive) To perceive differences.
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
To detect with the senses, especially with the eyes
To perceive, recognize or comprehend with the mind; to descry
To distinguish something as being different from something else; to differentiate
To perceive differences
