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discriminate

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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First attested in 1615; borrowed from Latin discrīminātus, perfect passive participle of discrīminō (“to divide, separate, distinguish”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from discrīmen (“a space between, division, separation, distinction”), from discernō (“to divide, separate, distinguish, discern”).

Pronunciation

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(verb)

(adjective)

Verb

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discriminate (third-person singular simple present discriminates, present participle discriminating, simple past and past participle discriminated)

  1. (intransitive) To make distinctions.
    Since he was color blind he was unable to discriminate between the blue and green bottles.
  2. To treat or affect differently, depending on differences in traits.
    Low self-esteem can affect both rich and poor people: it doesn't discriminate.
    1. (intransitive, construed with against) To make decisions harmful to (a person or group) based on prejudice.
      The law prohibits discriminating against people based on their skin color.
      • 2021 November 8, Kristen Rogers, “Discrimination of any kind can lead to much higher risk of mental and behavioral issues for young people, study finds”, in CNN‎[1]:
        “The more a young person is discriminated against, the more likely they will experience emotional difficulties including depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues and even suicidal ideation,” said Duffy, who specializes in work with teens, parents, couples and families, and wrote the book “Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety.”
      • 2025 March 10, Karina Tsui and Elizabeth Wolfe, “Department of Education investigating 60 colleges and universities over antisemitism claims”, in CNN‎[2]:
        The Office for Civil Rights said that it sent letters under its authority to enforce Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bans any institution receiving federal funds from discriminating based on race, color, and national origin.
    2. (intransitive, construed with against, uncommon) To infringe upon (a person's rights) in a prejudicial manner.
      • 1977 January 19, Anita Bryant, quotee, “Bias Against Homosexuals Is Outlawed in Miami”, in The New York Times, page 14:
        The ordinance condones immorality and discriminates against my children's rights to grow up in a healthy, decent community.
      • 2012 August 28, “Federal court finds discrimination in new Texas voting maps”, in CBS News‎[3]:
        There's also expected to be a ruling out of Washington over Texas' efforts to impose a restrictive new voter law that many minority groups allege discriminates against their right to vote.
      • 2019 June 20, “Illinois Reproductive Health Act FAQ”, in ACLU Illinois‎[4], archived from the original on 6 July 2019:
        Under the RHA, a person can sue the State of Illinois or local governments like cities and counties if they improperly deny, interfere with, or discriminate against the person’s fundamental rights to make their own reproductive health decisions.
  3. (transitive) To set apart as being different; to mark as different; to separate from another by discerning differences; to distinguish.
    • 1670-7, Isaac Barrow, “Sermon XX: Against rash Censuring and Judging”, in The Theological Works, volume 1, published 1818, page 448:
      To discriminate the goats from the sheep.
    • 1782–1785, William Cowper, “(please specify the page)”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson;  […], →OCLC:
      Still stranger much, that when at length mankind
      Had reach'd the sinewy firmness of their youth,
      And could discriminate and argue well
      On subjects more mysterious

Usage notes

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  • Due to the strong pejorative connotations of sense of “decide based on prejudice”, care should be taken in using the term in the sense “distinguish, make distinctions”, and this sense is primarily used in formal discourse; synonyms are generally used instead. On the other hand, the adjectives discriminate and indiscriminate are solely used to refer to being distinguished or marked by being different.

Synonyms

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Antonyms

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  • (antonym(s) of “make decisions based on prejudice”): favor

Derived terms

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English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *krey- (0 c, 87 e)

Translations

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Adjective

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discriminate (comparative more discriminate, superlative most discriminate)

  1. Having its differences marked; distinguished by certain tokens.
    • 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “IX. Century.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
      Nevertheless it is certain, that oisters, and cockles, and mussels, which move not, have no discriminate sex

Derived terms

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Translations

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Further reading

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Italian

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Etymology 1

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Verb

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discriminate

  1. inflection of discriminare:
    1. second-person plural present indicative
    2. second-person plural imperative

Etymology 2

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Participle

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discriminate f pl

  1. feminine plural of discriminato

Anagrams

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Latin

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Verb

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discrīmināte

  1. second-person plural present active imperative of discrīminō

Spanish

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Verb

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discriminate

  1. second-person singular voseo imperative of discriminar combined with te
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