discretion

See also: discrétion

English

Etymology

(deprecated template usage)

Borrowed from Old French discretion, from Late Latin discrētiō, from Latin discerno.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɪˈskɹɛʃən/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

discretion (usually uncountable, plural discretions)

1. The quality of being discreet or circumspect.

   Bob showed great discretion despite his knowledge of the affair.

2. The ability to make wise choices or decisions.
   • 1838, Thomas Edlyne Tomlins, A Popular Law-Dictionary:

     With regard to a woman, at nine years of age, she was, if married, considered entitled to her dower; at twelve, she may consent to marriage; at fourteen, she is at years of discretion, and may choose a guardian; […]

3. The freedom to make one's own judgements.

   I leave that to your discretion.

Antonyms

• indiscretion

Derived terms

• discretionary
• discretion is the better part of valour
• surrender at discretion

Translations

the quality of being discreet or circumspect

• Bulgarian: дискретност (bg) f (diskretnost)
• Czech: diskrétnost f, ohleduplnost f
• Dutch: discretie (nl) f
• Esperanto: diskreteco
• Finnish: hienotunteisuus (fi), hienovaraisuus (fi), tahdikkuus (fi)
• French: discrétion (fr) f
• German: Diskretion (de) f, Takt (de) m, Verschwiegenheit f
• Greek: διακριτικότητα (el) f (diakritikótita), εχεμύθεια (el) f (echemýtheia)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Hindi: विवेक (hi) (vivek)
• Italian: discrezione (it) f, riservatezza (it) f
• Norwegian: diskresjon m
• Portuguese: discrição (pt) f
• Romanian: discreție (ro) f, rezervă (ro) f
• Russian: осмотри́тельность (ru) f (osmotrítelʹnostʹ)
• Spanish: discreción (es) f
• Swedish: diskretion (sv)
• Welsh: pwyll (cy) m

the ability to make wise choices or decisions

• Bulgarian: благоразумие (bg) n (blagorazumie)
• Czech: uvážlivost f, soudnost f
• Finnish: tilannetaju (fi), harkintakyky (fi)
• French: discrétion (fr) f
• Georgian: კეთილგონიერება (ḳetilgoniereba)
• German: Klugheit (de) f, Umsicht (de) f
• Greek: σύνεση (el) f (sýnesi), περίσκεψη (el) f (perískepsi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Hebrew: שיקול דעת m (shikúl dá'at)
• Hindi: विवेक (hi) m (vivek)
• Italian: discernimento (it) m
• Romanian: maturitate (ro) f (de gândire)
• Russian: прозорли́вость (ru) f (prozorlívostʹ)
• Swedish: omdöme (sv)
• Welsh: pwyll (cy) m

the freedom to make one's own judgements

• Armenian: հայեցողություն (hy) (hayecʻoġutʻyun)
• Bulgarian: усмотрение (bg) n (usmotrenie), преценка (bg) f (precenka)
• Czech: možnost uvážení f, možnost se rozhodnout f
• Finnish: oma harkinta
• German: Ermessen (de) n, Gutdünken (de) n
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Greek: διακριτική ευχέρεια f (diakritikí efchéreia)
• Persian: صلاحدید (fa) (salâhdid)
• Romanian: libertate de decizie f
• Russian: свобо́да де́йствий f (svobóda déjstvij), усмотре́ние (ru) n (usmotrénije)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Danish: ^{(please verify)} diskretion c
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Romanian: ^{(please verify)} discreție (ro) f

Anagrams

• cretinoids, directions, doctrinise

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Old French

Alternative forms

• discrecion

Noun

discretion oblique singular, f (oblique plural discretions, nominative singular discretion, nominative plural discretions)

1. discretion (ability to make one's own judgments)
   • 1377, Bernard de Gordon, Fleur de lis de medecine (a.k.a. lilium medicine):

     l’ung ou l’autre selon la discretion du medicin.

     one or the other according to the discretion of the doctor.