discernment

C2+ Topic:Mind & Cognition

US /dɪˈsɚnmənt/ UK /dɪˈsɜːnmənt/ See IPA manual

noun

Meanings

1

noun
keen perception and good judgment

She chose her words with rare discernment.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · keen perception and good... perception insight judgment acumen perspicacity sagacity penetration astuteness

Opposites

obtuseness blindness indiscretion

Word family

Related forms discern discerning discernible

Etymology

From discern plus -ment; discern is from Latin discernere ('to distinguish'), from dis- ('apart') plus cernere ('to sift, separate, perceive').

discernere Latin cernere Latin *krey- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Mind & Cognition Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

# discernment

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** dɪˈsɚnmənt
**IPA (UK):** dɪˈsɜːnmənt

## Meanings
1. keen perception and good judgment

## Examples
- She chose her words with rare discernment.

## Synonyms
- perception
- insight
- judgment
- acumen
- perspicacity
- sagacity
- penetration
- astuteness

## Antonyms
- obtuseness
- blindness
- indiscretion

## Related Forms
- discern
- discerning
- discernible

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: discernere
- Root: cernere
- Root: *krey-

## Etymology
From discern plus -ment; discern is from Latin discernere ('to distinguish'), from dis- ('apart') plus cernere ('to sift, separate, perceive').

## AI Etymology
Discernment comes from discern plus -ment; discern is from Latin discernere ('to distinguish'), from dis- ('apart') plus cernere ('to sift, separate, perceive'). The historical trail runs through Latin discernere, Latin cernere and Proto-Indo-European *krey-. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. In modern use it means keen perception and good judgment. Related forms include discern, discerning, discernible.

## Topics
- Mind & Cognition
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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discernment

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