Dictionary.com

discerning

[ dih-sur-ning, -zur- ]
/ dɪˈsɜr nɪŋ, -ˈzɜr- /
See synonyms for: discerning / discerningly on Thesaurus.com

adjective

showing good or outstanding judgment and understanding: a discerning critic of French poetry.

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Origin of discerning

First recorded in 1600–10; discern + -ing2

OTHER WORDS FROM discerning

dis·cern·ing·ly, adverbnon·dis·cern·ing, adjectiveun·dis·cern·ing, adjectiveun·dis·cern·ing·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to discerning

penetrating, knowledgeable, piercing, perceptive, astute, insightful, knowing, acute, bright, brilliant, clever, critical, ingenious, intelligent, judicious, perspicacious, sagacious, sage, sensitive, sharp

Example sentences from the Web for discerning

British Dictionary definitions for discerning

discerning
/ (dɪˈsɜːnɪŋ) /

adjective

having or showing good taste or judgment; discriminating

Derived forms of discerning

discerningly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012