discrimination

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Unfair treatment of a person or group because of their race, sex, age, or other quality.

   The new law aims to stop discrimination in the workplace.

2. 2
   noun

   The ability to notice and judge small differences between things.

   Tasting fine tea requires real discrimination.

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

Topics