# discern

> English word · Verb · IPA /dɪˈsɜːn/ · frequency rank #21,491

## Definitions
1. To detect with the senses, especially with the eyes.
2. To perceive, recognize, or comprehend with the mind; to descry.
3. To distinguish something as being different from something else; to differentiate or discriminate.
4. To perceive differences.

## Etymology
From Middle English discernen, from Old French discerner, from Latin discernere (“to separate, divide, distinguish, discern”), from dis- (“apart”) + cernere (“to distinguish”); see certain.

## Easily confused with
- **discord** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/discern-vs-discord)
- **discerned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/discern-vs-discerned)
- **discard** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/discard-vs-discern)

## Common misspellings (11)
`ddiscern`, `dicsern`, `disccern`, `discenr`, `discernn`, `discerrn`, `discren`, `disecrn`, `disscern`, `dsicern`, `idscern`

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