discriminate

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /dɪˈskɹɪm.əˌneɪt/ UK /dɪˈskɹɪm.ɪ.neɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #24883

Meanings

1

verb
To treat a person or group unfairly because of their race, sex, age, or other quality.

It is illegal to discriminate against workers because of their age.
2

verb
To recognize or notice the difference between things.

A good wine taster can discriminate between very similar flavours.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to recognize or notice the... distinguish

More differentiate

Opposites

favor

Word family

Forms discriminateddiscriminatesdiscriminating

Derived forms discrimination discriminativediscriminatordiscriminatoryundiscriminated

Related forms crime discern discreet discrete

Etymology

First attested in 1615; borrowed from Latin discrīminātus, perfect passive participle of discrīminō (“to divide, separate, distinguish”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from discrīmen (“a space between, division, separation, distinction”), from discernō (“to divide, separate, distinguish, discern”).

*krey- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# discriminate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈskɹɪm.əˌneɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈskɹɪm.ɪ.neɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 24883

## Meanings
1. To treat a person or group unfairly because of their race, sex, age, or other quality.
2. To recognize or notice the difference between things.

## Examples
- It is illegal to discriminate against workers because of their age.
- A good wine taster can discriminate between very similar flavours.

## Synonyms
- differentiate

## Antonyms
- favor

## Derived Forms
- discrimination
- discriminative
- discriminator
- discriminatory
- undiscriminated

## Related Forms
- crime
- discern
- discreet
- discrete

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *krey-

## Etymology
First attested in 1615; borrowed from Latin discrīminātus, perfect passive participle of discrīminō (“to divide, separate, distinguish”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from discrīmen (“a space between, division, separation, distinction”), from discernō (“to divide, separate, distinguish, discern”).

## AI Etymology
discriminate is first attested in 1615; borrowed from Latin discrīminātus, perfect passive participle of discrīminō (“to divide, separate, distinguish”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from discrīmen (“a space between, division, separation, distinction”), from discernō (“to divide, separate, distinguish, discern”). Current senses include to treat a person or group unfairly because of their race, sex, age, or other quality and to recognize or notice the difference between things. English relatives and later formations include discrimination, discriminative, discriminator, crime, discern.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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