discretion
discretion Lexical Profile
discretion Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private, sensitive information.
"The diplomat handled the delicate negotiations with the utmost discretion."
The freedom or authority to decide what should be done in a particular situation.
"Bonus payments are awarded entirely at the discretion of the management team."
Word Nuance & Usage
"Discretion" serves as the noun form for two distinct homophonous adjectives: "discreet" (meaning careful, tactful, and prudent) and "discrete" (meaning separate and distinct), though in modern usage "discretion" almost exclusively relates to "discreet".
• Rhymes for discretion
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Old French "discrecion", from Latin "discretio" ("a separation" or "the power of making distinctions"), derived from the verb "discernere" ("to separate" or "to distinguish").