discrimination

[ dih-skrim-uh-ney-shuhn ]

noun

1. an act or instance of discriminating, or of making a distinction.
2. treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit:

   racial and religious intolerance and discrimination.

3. the power of making fine distinctions; discriminating judgment:

   She chose the colors with great discrimination.

   Synonyms: perception, acumen, taste, discernment

4. Archaic. something that serves to differentiate.

discrimination

/ dɪˌskrɪmɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. unfair treatment of a person, racial group, minority, etc; action based on prejudice
2. subtle appreciation in matters of taste
3. the ability to see fine distinctions and differences
4. electronics the selection of a signal having a particular frequency, amplitude, phase, etc, effected by the elimination of other signals by means of a discriminator

Derived Forms

• disˌcrimiˈnational, adjective

Other Words From

• dis·crimi·nation·al adjective
• anti·dis·crimi·nation adjective
• nondis·crimi·nation noun
• predis·crimi·nation noun
• self-dis·crimi·nation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of discrimination¹

First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin discrīminātiōn-, stem of discrīminātiō “division, separation,” literally “a dividing,” equivalent to discrīmināt(us) “separated” (past participle of discrīmināre “to divide up, separate”; discriminate ) + -ion ( def )

Example Sentences

Among other inequalities, current generations of Black older adults received education from a system impacted by racial segregation and racial discrimination.

From Science Daily

The medical community’s discrimination against people who use drugs has crippled humane access to care in general medical settings.

From Salon

“College administrators must create a safe and inclusive environment for all, particularly those from marginalized communities. Students should be able to express their identities and political views freely, without fear of discrimination,” Kanawati said.

From Los Angeles Times

The federal agency said its review, which began more than two years ago, hadn’t reached any “final determinations” about whether Cedars-Sinai violated federal statutes against discrimination.

From Los Angeles Times

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational settings.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bigotry
• favoritism
• hatred
• inequity
• injustice
• intolerance
• prejudice
• unfairness