discreet

[ dih-skreet ]

adjective

1. judicious in one's conduct or speech, especially with regard to respecting privacy or maintaining silence about something of a delicate nature; prudent; circumspect.

   Antonyms: indiscreet

2. showing prudence and circumspection; decorous:

   a discreet silence.

3. modestly unobtrusive; unostentatious:

   a discreet, finely wrought gold necklace.

discreet

/ dɪˈskriːt /

adjective

1. careful to avoid social embarrassment or distress, esp by keeping confidences secret; tactful
2. unobtrusive

Usage

See discrete

Derived Forms

• disˈcreetness, noun
• disˈcreetly, adverb

Other Words From

• dis·creet·ly adverb
• dis·creet·ness noun
• o·ver·dis·creet adjective
• o·ver·dis·creet·ness noun
• qua·si-dis·creet adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of discreet¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English discret, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Medieval Latin discrētus, Latin: “separated,” past participle of discernere “to separate,” from dis- dis- ¹ + cernere “to decide, separate, sift”; discern

Word History and Origins

Origin of discreet¹

C14: from Old French discret, from Medieval Latin discrētus, from Latin discernere to discern

Synonym Study

See careful.

Example Sentences

The Ask for Angela initiative, a project in place at thousands of venues nationwide, aims to provide a discreet lifeline for people who believe they are in danger.

From BBC

The Ask for Angela initiative, a not-for-profit project in place at thousands of venues nationwide, aims to provide a discreet lifeline for people who believe they are in danger.

From BBC

This space will be off-limits to humans once the crossing is completed, with locked gates to keep people out and discreet fencing to guide wildlife away from nearby homes into the wild hills beyond.

From Los Angeles Times

“They keep to themselves and are much more discreet than the others. We see them very little,” says Claire Millot, a volunteer for Salam, an NGO that supports migrants in Dunkirk.

From BBC

“They were super original and very discreet,” Davies said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• attentive
• careful
• considerate
• intelligent
• noncommittal
• prudent
• reasonable
• restrained
• tactful
• thoughtful
• watchful

Discreet Vs. Discrete

What’s the difference between discreet and discrete?

Discreet most commonly means tactful, prudent, or careful to avoid revealing things that may cause embarrassment, such as when communicating sensitive information, as in a discreet message or You can tell her, but be discreet about it. Discrete means separate or distinct, as in discrete concepts or discrete parts.

Less commonly, discreet can also mean unobtrusive—a modest necklace may be described as discreet. In all cases, the word discreet is used in situations in which an effort is made to avoid calling attention to someone or something. When you’re being discreet, you’re showing discretion.

Discrete, on the other hand, is typically used in technical, non-personal contexts. It has more specific meanings in the context of math and statistics.

Here’s a fun way to remember the difference: in discreet, the two e’s are right next to each other—the one e looks like it’s discreetly whispering something in the other’s ear. In discrete, the two e’s are kept separate by the t in the middle.

Here’s an example of discreet and discrete used correctly in a sentence.

Example: He mistakenly thought the two parts were discrete, but I told him that they are in fact connected—in a discreet way, of course.

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between discreet and discrete.

Quiz yourself on discreet vs. discrete!

Should discreet or discrete be used in the following sentence?

In my mind, these two topics are entirely _____—they don’t overlap at all.