discipline

B2 Topic:People & Society

US /ˈdɪsəplɪn/ UK /ˈdɪsɪplɪn/ See IPA manual

Freq #5158

Meanings

1

noun
The ability to control your own behaviour and keep working hard.

It takes real discipline to train every morning before work.
2

noun
A particular subject or area of study.

Biology and chemistry are closely related disciplines.
3

noun
A system of rules and the practice of making people obey them.

The school is known for its strict discipline.
4

verb
To punish someone in order to control their behaviour or enforce the rules.

The teacher had to discipline the students for cheating.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a particular subject or... field specialty

4 verb · to punish someone in order... correct

More drill

Word family

Forms disciplineddisciplinesdiscipliningundisciplined

Derived forms antidisciplinecounterdisciplinedisciplinabilitydiscipline-specificdisciplinelessdisciplinismdisciplinistinterdisciplinemetadisciplinemultidisciplinenondisciplineoverdiscipline

Related forms castigation discipledisciplinabledisciplinaldisciplinarian disciplinarydisciplineddisciplinerinterdisciplinarymultidisciplinarystricture

Etymology

From Middle English [Term?], from Anglo-Norman, from Old French descipline, from Latin disciplina (“instruction”), from discipulus (“pupil”), influenced by disco (“to learn”), from Proto-Indo-European *dek- (“(cause to) accept”).

descipline Old French disciplina Latin *dek- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

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# discipline

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈdɪsəplɪn/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈdɪsɪplɪn/
**Frequency rank:** 5158

## Meanings
1. The ability to control your own behaviour and keep working hard.
2. A particular subject or area of study.
3. A system of rules and the practice of making people obey them.
4. To punish someone in order to control their behaviour or enforce the rules.

## Examples
- It takes real discipline to train every morning before work.
- Biology and chemistry are closely related disciplines.
- The school is known for its strict discipline.
- The teacher had to discipline the students for cheating.

## Synonyms
- drill

## Derived Forms
- antidiscipline
- counterdiscipline
- disciplinability
- discipline-specific
- disciplineless
- disciplinism
- disciplinist
- interdiscipline
- metadiscipline
- multidiscipline
- nondiscipline
- overdiscipline

## Related Forms
- castigation
- disciple
- disciplinable
- disciplinal
- disciplinarian
- disciplinary
- disciplined
- discipliner
- interdisciplinary
- multidisciplinary
- stricture

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: descipline
- Root: disciplina
- Root: *dek-

## Etymology
From Middle English [Term?], from Anglo-Norman, from Old French descipline, from Latin disciplina (“instruction”), from discipulus (“pupil”), influenced by disco (“to learn”), from Proto-Indo-European *dek- (“(cause to) accept”).

## AI Etymology
discipline comes from Middle English an uncertain form, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French descipline, from Latin disciplina (“instruction”), from discipulus (“pupil”), influenced by disco (“to learn”), from Proto-Indo-European *dek- (“(cause to) accept”). The historical chain includes Old French descipline, Latin disciplina, Proto-Indo-European *dek-. Current senses include The ability to control your own behaviour and keep working hard and A particular subject or area of study. English relatives and later formations include antidiscipline, counterdiscipline, disciplinability, castigation, disciple.

## Topics
- People & Society

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discipline

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