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discern

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Discern is defined as to recognize someone or something as different from someone or something else.

(verb)

An example of discern is being able to pick a friend out of a crowd.

See discern in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

to separate (a thing) mentally from another or others; recognize as separate or different
to perceive or recognize; make out clearly

Origin: ME discernen < OFr discerner < L discernere < dis-, apart + cernere, to separate: see harvest

intransitive verb

to perceive or recognize the difference

Related Forms:

discernible adjective
discernibly adverb

See discern in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb dis·cerned, dis·cern·ing, dis·cerns

verb, transitive

To perceive with the eyes or intellect; detect.
To recognize or comprehend mentally.
To perceive or recognize as being different or distinct; distinguish. See Synonyms at see¹.

verb, intransitive

To perceive differences.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English discernen

Origin: , from Old French discerner

Origin: , from Latin discernere, to separate

Origin: : dis-, apart; see dis-

Origin: + cernere, to perceive; see krei- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

dis·cernˈer noun

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