discrimination

[dih-skrim-uh-ney-shuhn]

noun

1. an act or instance of discriminating, or of making a distinction.

2. 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.

3. the power of making fine distinctions; discriminating judgment.

   She chose the colors with great discrimination.

   Synonyms: perception, acumen, taste, discernment

4. Archaic.,  something that serves to differentiate.

discrimination

/ dɪˌskrɪmɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. unfair treatment of a person, racial group, minority, etc; action based on prejudice

2. subtle appreciation in matters of taste

3. the ability to see fine distinctions and differences

4. 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

• discriminational adjective
• antidiscrimination adjective
• nondiscrimination noun
• prediscrimination noun
• self-discrimination noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of discrimination¹

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

The state investigation found that, as with the flagpole incident, the district’s inquiry didn’t directly respond to the complaint’s allegation that the teach-in constituted discrimination or intimidation against Jewish students and staff.

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The UK government is currently pursuing changes in the law that would ban the use of NDAs in cases of employees who have been subjected to harassment, abuse or discrimination in the workplace.

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The platform's community guidelines prohibit hate speech, hateful behaviour, or promotion of hateful ideologies, including discrimination on the basis of disability.

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Attorneys can bring claims of racial discrimination in federal court, alleging California lawmakers used partisan affiliation as a pretext for race.

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The new laws also include banning bidding wars and discrimination of parents and those on benefits, as well as setting out a clearer process for those renting with pets.

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Related Words

• bigotry 
• favoritism 
• hatred 
• inequity 
• injustice 
• intolerance 
• prejudice 
• unfairness www.thesaurus.com