Discern

Pronunciation: /dɪˈsɜrn/

Definitions of discern

verb to perceive or recognize something

Example Sentences

A1 I can discern the difference between a cat and a dog.

A2 She could discern a hint of sadness in his voice.

B1 The detective was able to discern the suspect's true intentions.

B2 It takes a trained eye to discern the subtle differences in the painting.

C1 The expert was able to discern the underlying patterns in the data.

C2 Only a few people can discern the true meaning behind his words.

Examples of discern in a Sentence

formal It is important to discern the true meaning behind the data before making any conclusions.

informal I can discern that she is upset by the tone of her voice.

slang I can totally discern that he's lying about where he was last night.

figurative She could discern the hidden message in his words, even though he spoke in riddles.

Grammatical Forms of discern

• past tense: discerned
• plural: discerns
• comparative: more discerning
• superlative: most discerning
• present tense: discern
• future tense: will discern
• perfect tense: have discerned
• continuous tense: is discerning
• singular: discern
• positive degree: discern
• infinitive: to discern
• gerund: discerning
• participle: discerned

Origin and Evolution of discern

First Known Use: 0014 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'discern' originated from the Latin word 'discernere', which means to separate or distinguish.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'discern' has evolved to refer to the act of perceiving or recognizing something with clarity and understanding.