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⇱ discern - WordReference.com Dictionary of English


discern

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/dɪˈsɜːrn/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/dɪˈsɝn/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(di sûrn, -zûrn)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
dis•cern /dɪˈsɜrn/USA pronunciation   v. [not: be + ~-ing]
  1. to perceive by the sight or by the intellect;
    recognize:[+ object]She could discern a faint light ahead in the forest.
  2. to distinguish in the mind: [+ object]to discern right from wrong.[+ that clause]Can he discern that his enemies are doing harm to him?
dis•cern•i•ble, dis•cern•a•ble, adj.: The light was barely discernible in the distance.
dis•cern•ment, n. [uncountable]See -cern-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
dis•cern  (di sûrn, -zûrn),USA pronunciation v.t. 
  1. to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect;
    see, recognize, or apprehend:They discerned a sail on the horizon.
  2. to distinguish mentally;
    recognize as distinct or different;
    discriminate:He is incapable of discerning right from wrong.

v.i. 
  1. to distinguish or discriminate.
  • Latin discernere to separate, equivalent. to dis- dis-1 + cernere to separate
  • Old French)
  • Middle English (1300–50
dis•cerner, n. 
    1. discover, descry, espy. See notice. 2. 3. differentiate, judge.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
discern /dɪˈsɜːn/ vb
  1. (transitive) to recognize or perceive clearly
  2. to recognize or perceive (differences)
Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French discerner, from Latin discernere to divide, from dis-1 (apart) + cernere to separate
'discern' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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