discrimination
Americannoun
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an act or instance of discriminating, or of making a distinction.
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treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit.
racial and religious intolerance and discrimination.
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the power of making fine distinctions; discriminating judgment.
She chose the colors with great discrimination.
- Synonyms:
- perception, acumen, taste, discernment
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Archaic. something that serves to differentiate.
noun
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unfair treatment of a person, racial group, minority, etc; action based on prejudice
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subtle appreciation in matters of taste
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the ability to see fine distinctions and differences
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electronics the selection of a signal having a particular frequency, amplitude, phase, etc, effected by the elimination of other signals by means of a discriminator
Other Word Forms
- antidiscrimination adjective
- discriminational adjective
- nondiscrimination noun
- prediscrimination noun
- self-discrimination noun
Etymology
Origin of discrimination
First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin discrīminātiōn-, stem of discrīminātiō “division, separation,” literally “a dividing,” equivalent to discrīmināt(us) “separated” (past participle of discrīmināre “to divide up, separate”; discriminate ) + -ion ( def. )
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.
It also pointed to Wireless's own charter, which says the festival does not tolerate discrimination on grounds including religion and that "discriminatory words or actions have no place" at the event.
From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026
Indeed, any stated purposes appear unrelated to the Civil Rights Act’s aims of combating racial discrimination.
From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026
It says the changes are intended to protect people facing "extreme and oppressive" discrimination and to prevent exploitation and trafficking.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
In the meantime, the council outlawed discrimination against polyamorous people and others in nontraditional family structures, such as multigenerational immigrant households.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026
Politicians and law enforcement officials today rarely endorse racially biased practices, and most of them fiercely condemn racial discrimination of any kind.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
