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EN
discern
Definitions
1
verb
to
perceive
or
recognize
something
,
often
with
difficulty
or
effort
.
She
could
discern
a
figure
in
the
fog
.
He
was
able
to
discern
the
subtle
differences
between
the
two
paintings
.
It's
important
to
discern
the
truth
from
the
rumors
.
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Word Origin
Language
Latin
Original word
discernere
Word parts
dis (apart) + cernere (to separate, to sift)
Originally meant
to separate or distinguish
Background
The word 'discern' comes from the Latin 'discernere', which means to separate or distinguish. It entered English in the late Middle Ages, maintaining its sense of perceiving or recognizing differences.