secern

verb

se·​cern si-ˈsərn How to pronounce secern (audio)
secerned; secerning; secerns

transitive verb

: to discriminate in thought : distinguish

Examples of secern in a Sentence

those philistines who seemingly cannot secern artistic depiction of the nude from blatant pornography

Word History

Etymology

Latin secernere to separate — more at secret

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of secern was in 1604

Dictionary Entries Near secern

Cite this Entry

“Secern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secern. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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