Discreet means tactful — careful not to attract attention or reveal what should stay private. Discrete means separate and individually distinct, as in discrete categories. The two Es in discrEtE sit apart from each other, which is a usable reminder that discrete means separated.
The core difference
Identical in sound, unrelated in meaning, and both perfectly ordinary words.
- discreet — tactful, unobtrusive: a discreet enquiry.
- discrete — separate, distinct: three discrete stages.
Same origin, split in the sixteenth century
Both descend from Latin discretus, separated. The tactful sense developed from the idea of discernment — being able to separate what should be said from what should not. English kept both meanings and eventually assigned them different spellings.
The check
In discrEtE the two Es are separated by the T — and separation is what the word means. The nouns differ too: discretion for the first, discreteness for the second.
Frequently asked questions
Which spelling means tactful?
Discreet, with the double E together.
How do I remember which is which?
In discrete the two Es are separated by the T, and separate is what it means.
What are the noun forms?
Discretion from discreet; discreteness from discrete.