indiscrete
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- indiscretely adverb
- indiscreteness noun
Etymology
Origin of indiscrete
First recorded in 1600–10, indiscrete is from the Latin word indiscrētus undivided. See in- 3, discrete
Explanation
The adjective indiscrete describes something that can't be divided into parts, like an indiscrete blob of hardened clay. It’s a rare word that’s often confused with "indiscreet," but indiscrete (-ete) has nothing to do with telling secrets. Indiscrete comes from the Latin indiscretus, meaning "not separate," and has evolved to describe a thing that's not dividable. An orange can be separated into slices (parts), but this isn't the case with a rock, which is indiscrete. The layers on a delicious croissant are flakey and separate, but a hamburger bun is usually just an indiscrete hunk of bread. Indiscrete is often used in math to describe anything that can’t be divided.
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.
When casting began for the first Harry Potter film in 2000, JK Rowling insisted that Coltrane be given the part of Hagrid, the genial but somewhat indiscrete giant.
From BBC • Oct. 14, 2022
Grand Maester Mellos doesn’t seem the sort to be that indiscrete.
From New York Times • Sep. 26, 2022
He has been every bit as bigoted, undisciplined, indiscrete, thin-skinned and braggadocious as his campaign promised.
From The Guardian • Oct. 18, 2019
Alternately ill-informed and indiscrete, he’s just the guy you’d want as your lawyer.
From Washington Post • Dec. 19, 2018
I do not pretend to forecast its success in representation; but it is not indiscrete to say that it will suffer from the absence of a man's part capable of being made striking.
From Views and Reviews by James, Henry
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.
