discharge

The word “discharge” means to officially release someone from a hospital, job, the armed forces, or legal custody. In plain terms, to release, let out, or pay off — used for hospital patients, soldiers, weapons, liquids, debts, and more depending on context.

“Discharge” is pronounced dihs-CHAHJ (/dɪsˈtʃɑɹdʒ/ in IPA).

Here is “discharge” used in a sentence: “He was discharged from the hospital after a week of treatment.”

Depending on how it is used, “discharge” can be a verb and a noun.

The word “discharge” comes from Late Latin. From Middle English dischargen, from Old French deschargier ("to unload"), from Late Latin discarricare — built from dis- + charge.

“Discharge” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Discharge” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to officially release someone from a hospital, job, the armed forces, or legal custody.

Both can mean dismissing an employee, but 'discharge' is more formal and neutral and is common in official or legal contexts. 'Fire' is informal and blunter, and unlike discharge it rarely appears in respectful or ceremonial wording.

When it means to release a person, you are usually discharged 'from' a place or role, as in discharged from hospital or from the army. When it means to release a substance, something is discharged 'into' a place, such as waste discharged into a river.

They mean essentially the same thing, but 'discharged' is the standard medical and administrative term for officially allowing a patient to leave. 'Released' is the more everyday, less formal way of describing the same event.