# decern

> English word · Verb · IPA /dɪˈsɝn/

## Definitions
1. To decide or determine (a matter disputed or doubtful), with simple object, with infinitive or object clause, or intransitive.
2. To decree (something) by judicial sentence.
3. To decree (something) by judicial sentence.
4. To discern; to distinguish or separate by differences (things that differ, or one thing from another).
5. To discern; to distinguish or separate by differences (things that differ, or one thing from another).
6. To see distinctly (with the eyes or the mind); distinguish (an object or fact); discern.

## Etymology
First attested in late Middle English circa 1425; from the French décerner, from the Latin dēcernō (“I decide, pronounce a decision”), from dē (“of, from, away from”) + cernō (“I separate, distinguish”), whence the English cern. In Old French, the forms of décerner were frequently conflated with those of descerner, discerner; the two verbs were not clearly distinguished until the 16th century; hence, in English also, decern is found with the sense discern.

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