# discriminate

> English word · Verb · IPA /dɪˈskɹɪm.ɪ.neɪt/ · frequency rank #14,742

## Definitions
1. To make distinctions.
2. To treat or affect differently, depending on differences in traits.
3. To treat or affect differently, depending on differences in traits.
4. To treat or affect differently, depending on differences in traits.
5. To set apart as being different; to mark as different; to separate from another by discerning differences; to distinguish.

## Etymology
First attested in 1615; borrowed from Latin discrīminātus, perfect passive participle of discrīminō (“to divide, separate, distinguish”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from discrīmen (“a space between, division, separation, distinction”), from discernō (“to divide, separate, distinguish, discern”).

## Common misspellings (18)
`ddiscriminate`, `dicsriminate`, `disccriminate`, `discirminate`, `discriimnate`, `discrimiante`, `discriminaet`, `discriminatte`, `discriminnate`, `discrimintae`, `discrimminate`, `discrimniate`, `discrmiinate`, `discrriminate`, `disrciminate`, `disscriminate`, `dsicriminate`, `idscriminate`

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