discipline

1 of 2

noun

dis·​ci·​pline ˈdi-sə-plən 

1

a

: control gained by enforcing obedience or order

b

: orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior

c

: self-control

2

: punishment

3

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

4

: a field of study

5

: a rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity

6

obsolete : instruction

disciplinal

ˈdi-sə-plə-nᵊl 

adjective

discipline

2 of 2

verb

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

Did you know?

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.

Synonyms

Noun

• department
• area
• element
• realm
• field
• domain
• walk
• sphere
• kingdom
• specialty

Verb

• punish

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

Examples of discipline in a Sentence

Noun

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.

Verb

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 on the Web

Noun

This kind of discipline builds clarity, momentum and trust. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025

Portes, formerly of DePaul, took over as chair in 2024 and has overhauled the school’s undergraduate theater program, with plans to gradually grow the graduate acting cohorts and other disciplines. —Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2025

Verb

Talks up to now have not yielded much progress, with the club keen to remain disciplined in their negotiating position. —Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 21 June 2025

Asking Eric: Once again, my parents have hijacked my birthday and made it about them Give yourself a schedule so that you are disciplined about your next steps. —Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 18 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, "chastisement, system of ordered conduct, instruction, branch of learning," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin disciplīna "teaching, instruction, branch of study, orderly conduct based on moral training" (Medieval Latin, "chastisement, scourging"), from discipulus "pupil, learner" + -īna, suffix denoting a place or practice (from noun derivative of feminine of -īnus -ine entry 1) — more at disciple

Verb

Middle English disciplinen "to subject to chastisement, educate," borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French discipliner, borrowed from Late Latin disciplīnāre "to teach" (Medieval Latin, "to punish, scourge"), derivative of Latin disciplīna "teaching, discipline entry 1"

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing discipline

• self-discipline
• sub-discipline

Rhymes for discipline

• indiscipline

Kids Definition

discipline

1 of 2 noun

dis·​ci·​pline ˈdis-ə-plən 

1

: a field of study : subject

2

: strict training that corrects or strengthens mental ability or moral character

3

: punishment sense 1

4

: control gained by enforcing obedience or order

trying to maintain discipline

5

: a system of rules governing conduct

discipline

2 of 2 verb

disciplined; disciplining

1

: to punish or penalize for the sake of discipline

2

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

3

: to bring under control

discipline troops

discipliner noun