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discernment

[ dih-surn-muhnt, -zurn- ]
/ dɪˈsɜrn mənt, -ˈzɜrn- /
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noun

the faculty of discerning; discrimination; acuteness of judgment and understanding.
the act or an instance of discerning.

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RELATED WORDS

acumen, insight, judgment, understanding

Nearby words

  1. discase,
  2. discectomy,
  3. discern,
  4. discernible,
  5. discerning,
  6. discerptible,
  7. discharge,
  8. discharge lamp,
  9. discharge printing,
  10. discharge tube

Origin of discernment

1580–90; < Middle French discernement, equivalent to discern(er) to discern + -ment -ment
Related formsnon·dis·cern·ment, nounpre·dis·cern·ment, nounself-dis·cern·ment, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for discernment

British Dictionary definitions for discernment

discernment

/ (dɪˈsɜːnmənt) /

noun

keen perception or judgment
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for discernment

discernment

n.

1580s; see discern + -ment.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper