dis|creet´ness

dis|creet´ness
dis|creet «dihs KREET», adjective.
very careful in speech and action; showing good judgment; wisely cautious: »

A discreet person does not spread gossip. “Perhaps” is a discreet answer. You are a discreet man, and I make no doubt can keep a secret (Washington Irving).

 SYNONYM(S): prudent, wary.
╂[< Old French discret, learned borrowing from Latin discrētus separated (in Medieval Latin, discerning), past participle of discernere; see etym. under discern (Cf. ↑discern). See etym. of doublet discrete. (Cf. ↑discrete)]
–dis|creet´ly, adverb.
–dis|creet´ness, noun.
Usage Discreet and discrete no longer have the same meaning. Discreet is a synonym of prudent; discrete is a synonym of distinct or separate.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • in´dis|creet´ness — in|dis|creet «IHN dihs KREET», adjective. not discreet; not wise and judicious; imprudent: »The indiscreet girl often revealed secrets to strangers. SYNONYM(S): unwise, foolish, rash. ╂[< in 1 not + discreet] –in´dis|creet´ly, adverb. – …   Useful english dictionary

  • dis|creet´ly — dis|creet «dihs KREET», adjective. very careful in speech and action; showing good judgment; wisely cautious: »A discreet person does not spread gossip. “Perhaps” is a discreet answer. You are a discreet man, and I make no doubt can keep a secret …   Useful english dictionary

  • dis|creet — «dihs KREET», adjective. very careful in speech and action; showing good judgment; wisely cautious: »A discreet person does not spread gossip. “Perhaps” is a discreet answer. You are a discreet man, and I make no doubt can keep a secret… …   Useful english dictionary

  • in´dis|creet´ly — in|dis|creet «IHN dihs KREET», adjective. not discreet; not wise and judicious; imprudent: »The indiscreet girl often revealed secrets to strangers. SYNONYM(S): unwise, foolish, rash. ╂[< in 1 not + discreet] –in´dis|creet´ly, adverb. – …   Useful english dictionary

  • in|dis|creet — «IHN dihs KREET», adjective. not discreet; not wise and judicious; imprudent: »The indiscreet girl often revealed secrets to strangers. SYNONYM(S): unwise, foolish, rash. ╂[< in 1 not + discreet] –in´dis|creet´ly, adverb. – …   Useful english dictionary

  • dis — dis·accord; dis·advantage; dis·affect; dis·aggregate; dis·ap·pear; dis·array; dis·bar; dis·burse; dis·card; dis·charge; dis·ci·ple; dis·ci·pli·nar·i·an; dis·ci·pline; dis·claim; dis·close; dis·co; dis·co·glos·sid; dis·coid; dis·coi·dal;… …   English syllables

  • ness — ness·ber·ry; ness·ler·iza·tion; ness·ler·ize; ness·ler s; new·fan·gled·ness; new·ness; news·i·ness; nice·ness; nig·gard·li·ness; nig·gard·ness; nigh·ness; nip·pi·ness; no·ble·ness; nois·i·ness; non·cha·lant·ness; north·er·li·ness; north·ness;… …   English syllables

  • creet — de·creet; dis·creet; dis·creet·ly; dis·creet·ness; …   English syllables

  • discreetness — dis·creet·ness …   English syllables

  • discreet — dis•creet [[t]dɪˈskrit[/t]] adj. judicious in one s conduct or speech, esp. with regard to keeping silent about a delicate matter • Etymology: 1325–75; ME discret < AF, OF < ML discrētus, L: separated, ptp. of discernere dis•creet′ly, adv.… …   From formal English to slang

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