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discreet - 4 dictionary results

dis⋅creet

  [di-skreet]
Use discreet in a Sentence
–adjective
1. judicious in one's conduct or speech, esp. with regard to respecting privacy or maintaining silence about something of a delicate nature; prudent; circumspect.
2. showing prudence and circumspection; decorous: a discreet silence.
3. modestly unobtrusive; unostentatious: a discreet, finely wrought gold necklace.
Origin:
1325–75; ME discret < AF, OF < ML discrētus, L: separated (ptp. of discernere; see discern ), equiv. to dis- dis- 1 + crē- separate, distinguish (var. s. of cernere) + -tus ptp. suffix

Related forms:
dis⋅creet⋅ly, adverb
dis⋅creet⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. See careful.

Antonyms:
1. indiscreet.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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dis·creet   (dĭ-skrēt')   
adj.  
  1. Marked by, exercising, or showing prudence and wise self-restraint in speech and behavior; circumspect.
  2. Free from ostentation or pretension; modest.

[Middle English, from Old French discret, from Medieval Latin discrētus, from Latin, past participle of discernere, to separate, discern; see discern.]
dis·creet'ly adv., dis·creet'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Discreet

Dis*creet"\, a. [Compar. Discreeter; superl. Discreetest.] [F. discret, L. discretus separated (whence the meaning reserved, prudent), p. p. of discernere. See Discern, and cf. Discrete.]

1. Possessed of discernment, especially in avoiding error or evil, and in the adaptation of means to ends; prudent; sagacious; judicious; not rash or heedless; cautious.

It is the discreet man, not the witty, nor the learned, nor the brave, who guides the conversation, and gives measures to society. --Addison.

Satire 's my weapon, but I 'm too discreet To run amuck, and tilt at all I meet. --Pope.

The sea is silent, the sea is discreet. --Longfellow.

2. Differing; distinct. [Obs.] --Spenser. -- Dis*creet"ly, adv. -- Dis*creet"ness, n.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : discreet
Spanish: discreto,
German: verschwiegen,
Japanese: 思慮のある
More Translations »

discreet 
1340, from O.Fr. discret, from L. discretus "separated, distinct," in M.L. "discerning, careful," from pp. of discernere "distinguish" (see discern). Spellings discrete and nativized discreet co-existed until after c.1600, when discreet became the common word for "careful, prudent," and discrete was maintained in philosophy, medicine, music and other disciplines that remembered L. and tried to stick close to it.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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