# discrimination

> English word · Noun · IPA /dɪskɹɪmɪˈneɪʃən/ · frequency rank #4,225

## Definitions
1. Discernment, the act of discriminating, discerning, distinguishing, noting or perceiving differences between things, with the intent to understand rightly and make correct decisions.
2. Differential treatment of an individual or group to their disadvantage; treatment or consideration based on class or category rather than individual merit; partiality; prejudice; bigotry.
3. The quality of being discriminating; acute discernment, especially in matters of good taste.
4. That which discriminates; a distinguishing mark, a characteristic.

## Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin discrīminātiō, discrīminātiōnem, the action noun to discrīminō, discrīmināre (“distinguish”). Equivalent to discriminate + -ion. In English use from the 17th century.

## Easily confused with
- **discriminating** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/discriminating-vs-discrimination)

## Common misspellings (22)
`ddiscrimination`, `dicsrimination`, `disccrimination`, `discirmination`, `discriimnation`, `discrimiantion`, `discriminaiton`, `discriminasion`, `discriminatino`, `discriminationn`, `discriminatoin`, `discriminattion`, `discriminnation`, `discrimintaion`, `discrimmination`, `discrimniation`, `discrmiination`, `discrrimination`, `disrcimination`, `disscrimination`, `dsicrimination`, `idscrimination`

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