discover
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to see, get knowledge of, learn of, find, or find out; gain sight or knowledge of (something previously unseen or unknown).
to discover America;
to discover electricity.
-
to notice or realize.
I discovered I didn't have my credit card with me when I went to pay my bill.
-
Archaic. to make known; reveal; disclose.
verb
-
to be the first to find or find out about
Fleming discovered penicillin
-
to learn about or encounter for the first time; realize
she discovered the pleasures of wine
-
to find after study or search
I discovered a leak in the tank
-
to reveal or make known
Usage
What are other ways to say discover? To discover something is to see, get knowledge of, or find it. How does discover differ from learn, ascertain, and detect? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Related Words
Discover, invent, originate suggest bringing to light something previously unknown. To discover may be to find something that had previously existed but had hitherto been unknown: to discover a new electricity; it may also refer to devising a new use for something already known: to discover how to make synthetic rubber. To invent is to make or create something new, especially something ingeniously devised to perform mechanical operations: to invent a device for detecting radioactivity. To originate is to begin something new, especially new ideas, methods, etc.: to originate a political movement, the use of assembly-line techniques.
Other Word Forms
- discoverable adjective
- discoverably adverb
- discoverer noun
- nondiscoverable adjective
- prediscover verb (used with object)
- rediscover verb (used with object)
- undiscoverable adjective
- undiscovered adjective
Etymology
Origin of discover
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English discouere(n), descuvere(n), from Anglo-French discoverir, descovrir, from Old French descovrir, descuvrir, from Late Latin discooperīre “to disclose, expose”; see origin at dis- 1, cover
Explanation
If you discover something, you find it unexpectedly, like when you discover your favorite childhood stuffed animal in a box of old junk. When you discover something, it can be by surprise or the result of a search. You might discover the fact that your dad used to travel with the circus as a trapeze artist or discover a band none of your friends ever heard of. Scientists often discover new substances, stars, or organisms. The Latin root discooperire, "uncover," combines the prefix dis-, or "opposite of," with cooperire, "to cover up."
Vocabulary lists containing discover
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Beowulf vocabulary
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Return to Titanic" and "Talking with Robert Ballard"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“They can discover blind spots and opportunities for the client she might not otherwise have considered.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026
He described it as "a burst of pure joy when I discover a story that's been lying there forgotten for 2,000 years".
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
What I’m looking for is for people to discover again that this feels good: This is who I am, this is who I want to be — and that is not.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
"We showed that we can use AI to discover new physics," says Justin Burton, an Emory professor of experimental physics and senior co-author of the paper.
From Science Daily • Apr. 23, 2026
But at two weeks this one had yet to discover how unwelcoming was its world: we would need a place for them far removed from other houses.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
