discriminate

verb

dis·​crim·​i·​nate di-ˈskri-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce discriminate (audio)
discriminated; discriminating

transitive verb

1
a
: to mark or perceive the distinguishing or peculiar features of
Depth perception may be defined as the ability to appreciate or discriminate the third dimension …H. G. Armstrong
b
: distinguish, differentiate
discriminate hundreds of colors
2
: to distinguish by discerning or exposing differences : to recognize or identify as separate and distinct
discriminate right from wrong
especially : to distinguish from another like object
discriminate the individual voices in the choir

intransitive verb

1
a
: to make a distinction
discriminate among historical sources
discriminates between literary fiction and popular fiction
b
: to use good judgment
2
: to make a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit
discriminate in favor of your friends
discriminate against a certain nationality

Did you know?

Although many methods or motives for discriminating are unfair and undesirable (or even illegal), the verb itself has a neutral history. English speakers borrowed it from the past participle of the Latin verb discriminare (meaning "to distinguish or differentiate"), which, itself, is derived from the verb discernere, meaning "to distinguish between." Discernere, in turn, was formed by combining the prefix dis- (meaning "apart") and cernere ("to sift"). Other descendants of discernere include discern and discernible (as you no doubt guessed), discreet, and indiscretion. In addition, the root cernere gives us concern, certain, decree, and even secret.

Examples of discriminate in a Sentence

The school is not allowed to discriminate. the human eye can discriminate between very slight gradations of color
Recent Examples on the Web People who do not deserve to be mistreated or discriminated against. Griselda Flores, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2024 The Philadelphia panel sided with SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, voting unanimously that the defense's Sesame Place Philadelphia, a children’s theme park in Burks County, did not discriminate against girls shown in videos that went viral in July 2022. Madelyn Urabe, NBC News, 20 Sep. 2024 This misconception likely stems from the fact that Bitcoin is censorship resistant, meaning its code cannot discriminate between transactions. Ansel Lindner, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024 Days later, right-wing lawyers accused Rivendell of illegally discriminating against customers based on race. Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for discriminate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'discriminate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin discriminatus, past participle of discriminare, from discrimin-, discrimen distinction, from discernere to distinguish between — more at discern

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of discriminate was in 1615

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Dictionary Entries Near discriminate

Cite this Entry

“Discriminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discriminate. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

discriminate

verb
dis·​crim·​i·​nate dis-ˈkrim-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce discriminate (audio)
discriminated; discriminating
1
a
: to see the special features of
discriminate the geologic features of an area
b
: distinguish sense 1, differentiate
discriminate hundreds of colors
2
: to be able to tell the difference especially between similar things
discriminate between a tree and a bush
3
: to treat some people better than others without any fair or proper reason
discriminable
-ə-nə-bəl
adjective

Medical Definition

discriminate

verb
dis·​crim·​i·​nate dis-ˈkrim-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce discriminate (audio)
discriminated; discriminating

transitive verb

: to respond selectively to (a stimulus)

intransitive verb

: to respond selectively
the capacity of organisms to discriminateJ. A. Swets

Legal Definition

discriminate

intransitive verb
dis·​crim·​i·​nate dis-ˈkri-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce discriminate (audio)
discriminated; discriminating
: to make a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit
especially : to make a difference in treatment on a basis prohibited by law (as national origin, race, sex, religion, age, or disability) see also bona fide occupational qualification, equal protection, reverse discrimination, suspect class, Civil Rights Act of 1964
discrimination noun

More from Merriam-Webster on discriminate

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