discrete

Name: discrete, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/dɪˈskɹiːt/

//dɪˈskɹiːt// adj

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“discrete” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,700 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#13,700
frequency rank, English: 8
letters: 11
tracked misspellings: 1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Separate; distinct; individual; non-continuous.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

discrete vs discreet

75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for discrete
Property	Value
Headword	discrete
Language	English
Part of speech	Adjective
IPA	/dɪˈskɹiːt/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#13,700
Misspellings tracked	11
Confusable pairs	1
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “discrete” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). discrete lands here:

#13,700

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for discrete is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈskɹiːt/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,700 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for discrete, with forms such as "ddiscrete", "dicsrete", and "disccrete". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "discreet", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French discret, from Latin discrētus, past participle of discernō (“divide”), from dis- + cernō (“sift”). Doublet of discreet. The correct English form is discrete, spelled D-I-S-C-R-E-T-E.

Definition

1
Separate; distinct; individual; non-continuous.
2
That can be perceived individually, not as connected to, or part of, something else.
3
Consisting of or permitting only distinct values drawn from a finite, countable set.
4
Having separate electronic components, such as individual diodes, transistors and resistors, as opposed to integrated circuitry.
5
Having separate and independent channels of audio, as opposed to multiplexed stereo or quadraphonic, or other multi-channel sound.
6
Having each singleton subset open: said of a topological space or a topology.
7
Disjunctive; containing a disjunctive or discretive clause.

Etymology

From Old French discret, from Latin discrētus, past participle of discernō (“divide”), from dis- + cernō (“sift”). Doublet of discreet.

Antonyms

continuous integratedmultiplexed

This word in other languages

discreto(Español)distinct(Français)diskret(Deutsch)distinto(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddiscrete,dicsrete,disccrete,discerte,discrette,discrrete,discrtee,disrcete,disscrete,dsicrete,idscrete

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of discrete - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

Edit distance from "discrete"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "discrete"?

"discrete" is spelled D-I-S-C-R-E-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈskɹiːt/.

What does "discrete" mean?

As an adjective, "discrete" means: Separate; distinct; individual; non-continuous.

What words are commonly confused with "discrete"?

"discrete" is commonly confused with "discreet". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "discrete"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "discrete" is /dɪˈskɹiːt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "discrete"?

From Old French discret, from Latin discrētus, past participle of discernō (“divide”), from dis- + cernō (“sift”). Doublet of discreet. See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “discrete”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is D-I-S-C-R-E-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /dɪˈskɹiːt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “discreet” - see the side-by-side comparison. discrete vs discreet
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.