# discernment

> English word · Noun · frequency rank #37,421

## Definitions
1. The ability to distinguish; judgement.
2. The act of distinguishing between things.
3. The ability to distinguish between things.
4. The ability to perceive differences that exist.
5. The condition of understanding.
6. Aesthetic discrimination; taste, appreciation.
7. Perceptiveness.
8. The ability to make wise judgements; sagacity.
9. Discretion in judging objectively.

## Etymology
From Middle French discernement, equivalent to discern + -ment.

## Common misspellings (18)
`ddiscernment`, `dicsernment`, `disccernment`, `discenrment`, `discermnent`, `discernemnt`, `discernmennt`, `discernmentt`, `discernmetn`, `discernmment`, `discernmnet`, `discernnment`, `discerrnment`, `discrenment`, `disecrnment`, `disscernment`, `dsicernment`, `idscernment`

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