discrimination

American  

[dih-skrim-uh-ney-shuhn] / dɪˌskrɪm əˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

discriminations plural

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.

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discrimination British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• discriminations
  plural

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”; see discriminate) + -ion ( def. )

Explanation

Discrimination means distinguishing between two or more people or things. Usually, discrimination means an unfair system that treats one group of people worse than another. Discrimination isn't always a bad thing. You have to use discrimination to tell a good restaurant from a bad one, or a good idea from a bad one. However, this word is very tarnished by its main use these days: as a word for unfair treatment of people, based on racism, sexism, homophobia, or another prejudice. There is a huge history of discrimination in the United States.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

discrimination discriminations

Lincicome added that Washington's discrimination claims over dairy products could be seen as "dubious" too as they relate to terms of Canada's trade deal with the European Union.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

Between 1918 and his assassination in 1948, Gandhi fasted repeatedly - against religious violence, caste discrimination and political discord - turning the empty plate into one of the defining symbols of India's freedom struggle.

From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026

At independence, India adopted a modest 12.5% quota for the “scheduled castes,” or Dalits, widely acknowledged as the most-disadvantaged victims of caste discrimination.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Clayton County, a 2020 Supreme Court decision that established workplace discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026

Congress to pass the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination in public accommodations such as restaurants, theaters and hotels, in government, and in employment.

From "Because They Marched" by Russell Freedman

The #MeToo movement in 2017 increased awareness of the subtle - and the not so subtle - discriminations women face at work.

From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2024

Italy’s watchdog added that the measures imposed aimed at avoiding discriminations and granting efficiency to any potential new players in the sector.

From Reuters ● Oct. 14, 2021

However, as of mid-August, only 28% of young Black New York City residents are vaccinated, often rooted in distrust of government or current discriminations.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 22, 2021

But making discriminations isn’t always discriminatory, and it isn’t a knockdown argument against a rule to say that it excludes good candidates and includes bad ones.

From New York Times ● Jul. 24, 2018

Such discriminations produce the illusion of the scene.

From Browning and the Dramatic Monologue by Curry, S. S. (Samuel Silas)

Related Words

• bigotry
• favoritism
• hatred
• inequity
• injustice
• intolerance
• prejudice
• unfairness