discipline

play

noun dis·ci·pline \ ˈdi-sə-plən \

Definition of discipline

1 :punishment

2 obsolete :instruction

3 :a field of study

4 :training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character

5 a :control gained by enforcing obedience or order

b :orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior

c :self-control

6 :a rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity

—

disciplinal

play \-plə-nᵊl\ adjective

See discipline defined for English-language learners

See discipline defined for kids

Examples of discipline in a Sentence

Sir Robert Peel is credited with creating the first modern police force, the bobbies, in London, in 1829, but the transformation of law enforcement, and especially forensic science, into a professional discipline was a haphazard affair. —Jeffrey Toobin, New Yorker, 7 May 2007
Pragmatism became America's most important contribution to the life of the mind in the 20th century. Filtered through scores of later interpreters, it percolated across a broad segment of academic culture and influenced disciplines as diverse as literary criticism and legal theory. —Theo Anderson, Wilson Quarterly, Summer 2007
So the next fall I went to Hampshire College and began studying under Herbert Bernstein. Without him, I would never have become a scientist. He shamed me into doing the hard work necessary to be able not just to talk about math and physics but to calculate. Without that discipline, my story would have been very different … —Lee Smolin, Curious Minds, (2004) 2005
He stood erect, his bearing patrician, his dress impeccable. His face was stern and his pale eyes unsmiling behind his trifocals, like a man who had been called from important duties in the principal's office to administer discipline to an unruly classroom. —Nick Taylor, Laser, 2000
The teacher has a hard time maintaining discipline in the classroom.
The troops were praised for their dedication and discipline.
Some parents feel that the school's principal has been too harsh in meting out discipline.
Keeping a journal is a good discipline for a writer.

Recent Examples of discipline from the Web

In both non-fatal shootings and other uses of force, information about officers’ training, prior use of force, complaints and discipline were not included in internal affairs files.

— jsonline.com, "Trust damaged between Milwaukee police and community, Department of Justice draft report says," 30 Aug. 2017
Of those cases, just one intentional Taser discharge led to minor discipline for an officer who failed to submit a use-of-force report, according to the data.

— dan hinkel, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago cops get more Tasers, but red flags remain," 25 Aug. 2017
Ayaz inducted into honor society Naperville resident Aleena Ayaz was recently initiated into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest all-discipline collegiate honor society, at Northern Illinois University.

— michelle mullins, Naperville Sun, "Naperville People in the News," 24 Aug. 2017
Lopez and Padilla, for example, were determined to discipline Leilanie without spanking her.

— anna gorman, Kaiser Health News, "Home Visits Help New Parents Overcome Tough Histories, Raise Healthy Children," 21 Aug. 2017
Thanks largely to his brother’s financial discipline, the messenger’s firm prospered, too.

— sam roberts, New York Times, "Arthur Finkelstein, Innovative, Influential Conservative Strategist, Dies at 72," 19 Aug. 2017
Preibus’s replacement Kelly immediately set about trying to impose hierarchy and discipline on a West Wing that had mostly resisted it.

— joshua green, Bloomberg.com, "Bannon’s Path From Trusted Attack Dog to Toxic Liability," 18 Aug. 2017
The idea seems obvious, but putting the disciplines together is rare.

— julia herbst, Los Angeles Magazine, "11 Women Who Are Making L.A. a Better Place," 17 Aug. 2017
RAMONA The Ramona Unified School District board met Thursday in closed session to discuss labor negotiations, student discipline and litigation.

— laura groch, sandiegouniontribune.com, "How they voted, Aug. 13," 13 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'discipline.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The Root and Meanings of discipline

Discipline comes from discipulus, the Latin word for pupil, which also provided the source of the word disciple (albeit by way of a Late Latin sense-shift to “a follower of Jesus Christ in his lifetime”). Given that several meanings of discipline deal with study, governing one’s behavior, and instruction, one might assume that the word’s first meaning in English had to do with education. In fact, the earliest known use of discipline appears to be punishment-related; it first was used in the 13th century to refer to chastisement of a religious nature, such as self-flagellation.

Origin and Etymology of discipline

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin disciplina teaching, learning, from discipulus pupil

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

discipline Synonyms

Synonyms

area, arena, bailiwick, barony, business, circle, demesne, department, field, domain, element, fief, fiefdom, firmament, front, game, kingdom, line, precinct, province, realm, specialty, sphere, terrain, walk

Antonyms

disinhibition, incontinence, unconstraint

Related Words

frontier; study, subject; territory, turf; occupation, profession, pursuit, racket, vocation; ambit, amplitude, breadth, compass, confine, dimension (s), extent, ken, reach, scope, sweep, width; subfield, subspecialty

Near Antonyms

amnesty, indemnity, pardon, parole; acquittal, exculpation, exoneration, vindication; exemption, immunity, impunity; release; commutation, reprieve; absolution, forgiveness, remission, remitment; condonation, disregard, overlooking

Other Education Terms

baccalaureate, colloquium, corequisite, dissertation, monograph, pedant, practicum, survey course, thesis

discipline

play

verb dis·ci·pline \ ˈdi-sə-plən \

Definition of discipline

disciplined; disciplining

transitive verb

1 :to punish or penalize for the sake of enforcing obedience and perfecting moral character

2 :to train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control

3 a :to bring (a group) under control

discipline troops

b :to impose order upon

serious writers discipline and refine their writing styles

—

discipliner

noun

See discipline defined for English-language learners

Examples of discipline in a Sentence

The Army disciplined seven men for the incident, penalties ranging from pay-cuts and loss of rank to dismissal from the Rangers and return to the rank-and-file Army. —Gary Smith, Sports Illustrated, 11 Sept. 2006
Volunteers have to undergo a program to discipline the mind and cleanse the soul. —Aparism Ghosh, Time, 4 July 2005
The teacher then took me to the principal's office. There, the principal attempted to discipline me with an old Catholic school technique called "paddling" … —Lalo Gomez, Undoing Time, 2001
She was disciplined for misbehaving in class.
He seems unwilling or unable to discipline his children.
I'm trying to discipline myself to eat less.

Recent Examples of discipline from the Web

GET SMART FAST: Two top officers of the USS Fitzgerald are among about a dozen sailors who are slated to be disciplined for the ship’s June 17 collision with a container ship near Japan, which killed seven crew members.

— james hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: Trump’s embrace of Confederate statues as a wedge issue underscores Bannon’s enduring influence," 18 Aug. 2017
Slash also is a member of the civilian police merit board, which is charged with hiring, firing and disciplining Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers.

— tony cook, Indianapolis Star, "Pence visit with Ten Point Coalition raises eyebrows in black community," 11 Aug. 2017
Read more: The Tenure Commission had recommended suspension but only the Michigan Supreme Court can discipline judges.

— john wisely, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan high court lifts suspension on judge who jailed kids in custody fight," 28 July 2017
The investigation into Lockhart’s behavior began in December after an assistant principal, Terence Hart, became upset over how Lockhart had disciplined a student that got into an altercation with the assistant principal.

— breanna edwards, The Root, "Former Fla. High School Principal Asked Teachers to Do Son’s Math Assignments, Charged Students $1 to Attend Pep Rallies: Report," 20 July 2017
But Bond’s strict Catholic school, where teachers disciplined pupils with rubber straps, cast a pallor over his childhood.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Michael Bond, Creator of Paddington Bear, Dies at 91," 29 June 2017
A second is that Clinton triumphed because his staff were able to craft a coherent, disciplined message and to present the president not as an angry aggressor but as the hapless victim of vindictive opponents.

— david a. graham, The Atlantic, "Trump's Self-Contradictory Defense," 19 June 2017
The ACLU says instead of de-escalating the student’s outbursts, teachers disciplined and physically restrained him.

— paige cornwell, The Seattle Times, "ACLU of Washington files lawsuit on behalf of special-education students," 8 June 2017
Though the exchanges prompted a controversy among members of that incoming class, administrators did not discipline the students who sent the messages, according to the Harvard Crimson.

— the washington post, The Mercury News, "Harvard withdraws 10 acceptances after ‘offensive’ memes in online chat," 5 June 2017

Origin and Etymology of discipline

see ¹discipline

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

discipline Synonyms

Synonyms

castigate, chasten, chastise, correct, punish, penalize

Antonyms

excuse, pardon, spare

Related Words

assess, charge, dock, fine, impose, levy, mulct; convict, sentence; condemn, damn, denounce; criticize, keelhaul, rebuke, reprimand, reprove; wreak

Near Antonyms

forfeit; get off, ransom, release; commute, reprieve; absolve, acquit, exculpate, exonerate, vindicate

Synonym Discussion of discipline

punish, chastise, castigate, chasten, discipline, correct mean to inflict a penalty on in requital for wrongdoing. punish implies subjecting to a penalty for wrongdoing.

- punished for stealing

chastise may apply to either the infliction of corporal punishment or to verbal censure or denunciation.

- chastised his son for neglecting his studies

castigate usually implies a severe, typically public censure.

- an editorial castigating the entire city council

chasten suggests any affliction or trial that leaves one humbled or subdued.

- chastened by a landslide election defeat

discipline implies a punishing or chastening in order to bring under control.

- parents must discipline their children

correct implies punishing aimed at reforming an offender.

- the function of prison is to correct the wrongdoer

teach, instruct, educate, train, discipline, school mean to cause to acquire knowledge or skill. teach applies to any manner of imparting information or skill so that others may learn.

- taught us a lot about our planet

instruct suggests methodical or formal teaching.

- instructs raw recruits in military drill

educate implies development of the mind.

- more things than formal schooling serve to educate a person

train stresses instruction and drill with a specific end in view.

- trained foreign pilots to operate the new aircraft

discipline implies training in habits of order and precision.

- a disciplined mind

school implies training or disciplining especially in what is hard to master.

- schooled the horse in five gaits

Other Education Terms

baccalaureate, colloquium, corequisite, dissertation, monograph, pedant, practicum, survey course, thesis

DISCIPLINE Defined for English Language Learners

discipline

play

noun

Definition of discipline for English Language Learners

: control that is gained by requiring that rules or orders be obeyed and punishing bad behavior
: a way of behaving that shows a willingness to obey rules or orders
: behavior that is judged by how well it follows a set of rules or orders

discipline

play

verb

Definition of discipline for English Language Learners

: to punish (someone) as a way of making sure that rules or orders are obeyed
: to train (yourself) to do something by controlling your behavior

DISCIPLINE Defined for Kids

discipline

play

noun dis·ci·pline \ ˈdi-sə-plən \

Definition of discipline for Students

1 :punishment 1

2 :strict training that corrects or strengthens

“Boys need discipline,” he said.

3 :habits and ways of acting that are gotten through practice

At this point in the act the penguins always forgot their discipline …
—Richard and Florence Atwater, Mr. Popper's Penguins

4 :control that is gained by insisting that rules be followed

The teacher tried to maintain discipline.

discipline

verb

Definition of discipline for Students

disciplined; disciplining

1 :to punish as a way to bring about good behavior

The principal disciplined the troublemakers.

2 :to train in self-control or obedience

The diet disciplines overeaters.

3 :to bring under control

discipline troops

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discipline

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