Nearby Words

discerning

[dih-sur-ning, -zur-] Example Sentences Origin

dis·cern·ing

[dih-sur-ning, -zur-]
adjective
showing good or outstanding judgment and understanding: a discerning critic of French poetry.

Origin:
1600–10; discern + -ing2

dis·cern·ing·ly, adverb
non·dis·cern·ing, adjective
un·dis·cern·ing, adjective
un·dis·cern·ing·ly, adverb


perceptive, keen, sharp, discriminating.

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Discerning is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
Example Sentences
  • Let us all try to be more discerning.
  • I've never had trouble discerning the two.
  • The general public is far more discerning than the literary elite.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged

dis·cern

[dih-surn, -zurn]
verb (used with object)
1.
to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; see, recognize, or apprehend: They discerned a sail on the horizon.
2.
to distinguish mentally; recognize as distinct or different; discriminate: He is incapable of discerning right from wrong.
verb (used without object)
3.
to distinguish or discriminate.

Origin:
1300–50; Middle English (< Old French ) < Latin discernere to separate, equivalent to dis- dis-1 + cernere to separate

dis·cern·er, noun
pre·dis·cern, verb (used with object)
un·dis·cerned, adjective


1. discover, descry, espy. See notice. 2, 3. differentiate, judge.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To discerning
Collins
World English Dictionary
discerning (dɪˈsɜːnɪŋ)
 
adj
having or showing good taste or judgment; discriminating
 
dis'cerningly
 
adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin & History

discern
late 14c., from O.Fr. discerner "distinguish, separate" (by sifting), from L. discernere, from dis- "off, away" + cernere "distinguish, separate, sift" (see crisis). Related: Discerned.
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discerning
c.1500, "discerning," a verbal noun from discern. As a pp. adj., attested from c.1600.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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