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Origin and history of discern

discern(v.)

"perceive or recognize the difference or distinction between (two or more things);" also "distinguish (an object) with the eyes, see distinctly, behold;" also "perceive rationally, understand;" late 14c., from Old French discerner (13c.) "distinguish (between), separate" (by sifting), and directly from Latin discernere "to separate, set apart, divide, distribute; distinguish, perceive," from dis- "off, away" (see dis-) + cernere "distinguish, separate, sift" (from PIE root *krei- "to sieve," thus "discriminate, distinguish"). Related: Discerned; discerning.

discern

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to discern

discerning(adj.)

"having or showing discernment, discriminating, acute," c. 1600, present-participle adjective from discern (v.) in the sense "discover by the intellect, understand." Related: Discerningly.

discernible(adj.)

also discernable, "perceptible, visible, observable," 1560s, from French discernable, from discerner "distinguish (between), separate" (see discern). Form with -a- was more common at first; spelling changed to -i- 17c. to conform to Late Latin discernibilis. Related: Discernibly.

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discernment
1580s, "keenness of intellectual perception, insight, acuteness of judgment;" see discern + -ment. From 1680s as "act of perceiving by the intellect." Penetration, or insight, goes to the heart of a subject, reads the inmost character, etc. Discrimination marks the differences i
discretion
c. 1300, dyscrecyounne, "ability to perceive and understand;" mid-14c., "moral discernment, ability to distinguish right from wrong;" c. 1400, "prudence, sagacity regarding one's conduct," from Old French discrecion and directly from Medieval Latin discretionem (nominative discre
indiscreet
"imprudent, not discrete, lacking good judgment," early 15c., from Medieval Latin indiscretus, from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + Latin discretus "separated, distinct" (in Medieval Latin "discerning, careful"), past participle of discernere "distinguish" (see discern). A
gnostic
especially mystical or esoteric knowledge of spiritual things, 1650s, from Greek gnōstikos "knowing, good at knowing, able to discern...," from gnōstos "known, perceived, understood," earlier gnōtos, from gignōskein "learn to know, come to know, perceive; discern...
diagnosis
symptoms," 1680s, medical Latin application of Greek diagnōsis "a discerning, distinguishing," from stem of diagignōskein "discern...
diagnostic
in diagnosis," from Greek diagnōstikos "able to distinguish," from diagnōstos, verbal adjective from diagignōskein "to discern...
descry
c. 1300, descriven, "to see, discern," probably from Old French descrier "publish, proclaim, announce" (Modern French décrier...
comprehend
mid-14c., "to understand, take into the mind, grasp by understanding," late 14c., "to take in, include;" from Latin comprehendere "to take together, to unite; include; seize" (of catching fire or the arrest of criminals); also "to comprehend, perceive" (to seize or take in the mi
perceive
c. 1300, perceiven, "become aware of, gain knowledge of," especially "to come to know by direct experience," via Anglo-French parceif, Old North French *perceivre (Old French perçoivre) "perceive, notice, see; recognize, understand," from Latin percipere "obtain, gather, seize en
resolve
late 14c., resolven, "melt, dissolve, reduce to liquid; separate into component parts; alter, alter in form or nature by application of physical process," " intransitive sense from c. 1400; from Old French resolver or directly from Latin resolvere "to loosen, loose, unyoke, undo;

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