# discreet vs discrete

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### discreet
*adjective · IPA /dɪˈskɹiːt/ · frequency rank #16,453*
Respectful of privacy or secrecy; exercising caution in order to avoid causing embarrassment; quiet; diplomatic.

### discrete
*adjective · IPA /dɪˈskɹiːt/ · frequency rank #13,700*
Separate; distinct; individual; non-continuous.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/discreet-vs-discrete