discreet

Pronunciation

• IPA: /dɪˈskɹiːt/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English discret,^[2][3] borrowed from Old French discret (“discreet, sensible, wise”),^{[4][2][5][3][6]} from Medieval Latin discrētus (“discerning, careful”),^[4][2][5][3] from Latin discrētus “separated, distinct”, past participle of discernere “to separate, distinguish” (see discern).^[4][2][5][3] The active sense in Late Latin was taken over from discrētiō “discernment”.^[6] It is a doublet of discrete.^[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of persons, showing discernment in guiding one's own speech and action; judicious, prudent, circumspect (1340 in the OED; about 1385 in Barnhart; late 14th century in Etymonline).^[7][2][5]

Semantic evolution

In the 15th century discret, discrete and discreet were variant spellings of one word, used for all the senses of both modern words.^[2][5] By about 1600 discreet had become the usual form for “careful, prudent”, while discrete was kept for the sense “separate, distinct” in philosophy, medicine, music and other learned fields where Latin was better known.^[2][5] In Scots the word came to mean well-behaved or polite (1727–46).^[7] The modern meanings stress tact, the keeping of confidences, and an unobtrusive or modest manner.^[4][3][8]

Timeline

• 1340 – of persons, prudent, judicious.^[7]
• c. 1374 – of speech or action.^[7]
• 1528 – noun, a discreet person or adviser (obsolete).^[7]
• late 16th century – spelling discreet specialized for “prudent”.^[2]

Modern meaning

Adjective

1. Showing prudence and wise self-restraint in speech and conduct, especially in keeping silent about private or delicate matters; circumspect.
2. Unpretentious, modest or unobtrusive, as in a discreet gold necklace.

Word family

• discreetly
• discreetness
• indiscreet

Related words

• discretion
• discrete
• discern
• certain

Usage notes

Though identical in Middle English, discreet (“prudent”) and discrete (“separate, distinct”) are now distinct words.^[1][2]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
3. ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ a b c d The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
5. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House