discrimination

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Discernment, the act of discriminating, discerning, distinguishing, noting or perceiving differences between things, with the intent to understand rightly and make correct decisions.

   Have you felt the weight of the considerations which have been presented, in order to show the importance of discrimination on the subject of revealed truth?

2. 2
   noun

   Differential treatment of an individual or group to their disadvantage; treatment or consideration based on class or category rather than individual merit; partiality; prejudice; bigotry.

   sexual or racial discrimination

3. 3
   noun

   The quality of being discriminating; acute discernment, especially in matters of good taste.

   Near-synonym: tastefulness

4. 4
   noun

   That which discriminates; a distinguishing mark, a characteristic.

   He who has not made the experiment, or who is not accustomed to require rigorous accuracy from himself, will scarcely believe how much a few hours take from certainty of knowledge, and distinctness of imagery; how the succession of objects will be broken, how separate parts will be confused, and how many particular features and discriminations will be compressed and conglobated into one gross and general idea.

5. 5
   noun

   unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice

6. 6
   noun

   the cognitive process whereby two or more stimuli are distinguished

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin discrīminātiō, discrīminātiōnem, the action noun to discrīminō, discrīmināre (“distinguish”). Equivalent to discriminate + -ion. In English use from the 17th century.