verb B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

discriminate

dih-SKRIHM-ih-nayt

Discriminate (verb) means to treat a person or group unfairly because of a characteristic such as race, age, or gender. Example: “It is illegal to discriminate against employees on the basis of age.”

verb

To treat a person or group unfairly because of a characteristic such as race, age, or gender.

"It is illegal to discriminate against employees on the basis of age."

"The policy was accused of discriminating against smaller businesses."

To recognize a difference between things.

"A skilled taster can discriminate between subtly different wines."

How to use discriminate

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo treat people unfairly based on a trait, or (in a more neutral, older sense) to tell things apart.

When to use it

The unfair-treatment sense is by far the most common in everyday modern use.

Common pairings

discriminate against discriminate on the basis of

Word forms

more discriminate comparative, discriminated past tense, discriminates singular, most discriminate superlative

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

It is illegal to _____ against employees on the basis of age.

Etymology

From Latin discriminare, "to divide, distinguish," from discrimen, "a dividing line" — from discernere, "to separate, discern."

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

View more →

differentiate

Antonyms

favor

Related words

choose advantage balance gift favor prefer favourite est

Rhymes for discriminate

ate date rate mate fate abate slate plate state grate create update

See all rhymes for discriminate →

Frequently asked questions

What does “discriminate” mean?

The word “discriminate” means to treat a person or group unfairly because of a characteristic such as race, age, or gender. In plain terms, to treat people unfairly based on a trait, or (in a more neutral, older sense) to tell things apart.

How do you pronounce “discriminate”?

“Discriminate” is pronounced dih-SKRIHM-ih-nayt (/dɪˈskɹɪm.əˌneɪt/ in IPA).

How do you use “discriminate” in a sentence?

Here is “discriminate” used in a sentence: “It is illegal to discriminate against employees on the basis of age.”

What is another word for “discriminate”?

Words with a similar meaning to “discriminate” include differentiate.

What is the opposite of “discriminate”?

The opposite of “discriminate” — its antonyms — is favor.

What part of speech is “discriminate”?

“Discriminate” is a verb.

Where does the word “discriminate” come from?

The word “discriminate” comes from Latin. From Latin discriminare, "to divide, distinguish," from discrimen, "a dividing line" — from discernere, "to separate, discern.".

Is “discriminate” a common word?

“Discriminate” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

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