Adjacent Words

Discreet definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DISCREET, a. [L., Gr. It is sometimes written discrete; the distinction between discreet and discrete are arbitrary, but perhaps not entirely useless. The literal sense is, separate, reserved, wary, hence discerning.]
1. Prudent; wise in avoiding errors or evil, and in selecting the best means to accomplish a purpose; circumspect; cautious; wary; not rash.
It is the discreet man, not the witty, nor the learned, nor the brave, who guides the conversation, and gives measures to society.
Let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise. Genesis 41.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint; "his trusted discreet aide"; "a discreet, finely wrought gold necklace" [ant: indiscreet]
2: unobtrusively perceptive and sympathetic; "a discerning editor"; "a discreet silence" [syn: discerning, discreet]
3: heedful of potential consequences; "circumspect actions"; "physicians are now more circumspect about recommending its use"; "a discreet investor" [syn: circumspect, discreet]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French discret, from Medieval Latin discretus, from Latin, past participle of discernere to separate, distinguish between — more at discern Date: 14th century 1. having or showing discernment or good judgment in conduct and especially in speech ; prudent; especially capable of preserving prudent silence 2. unpretentious, modest <the warmth and discreet elegance of a civilized home — Joseph Wechsberg> 3. unobtrusive, unnoticeable <followed at a discreet distance> • discreetly adverb • discreetness noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. (discreeter, discreetest) 1 a circumspect in speech or action, esp. to avoid social disgrace or embarrassment. b tactful; trustworthy. 2 unobtrusive (a discreet touch of rouge). Derivatives: discreetly adv. discreetness n. Etymology: ME f. OF discret -ete f. L discretus separate (as DIS-, cretus past part. of cernere sift), with LL sense f. its derivative discretio discernment

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Discreet Dis*creet", a. [Compar. Discreeter; superl. Discreetest.] [F. discret, L. discretus separated (whence the meaning reserved, prudent), p. p. of discernere. See Discern, and cf. Discrete.] 1. Possessed of discernment, especially in avoiding error or evil, and in the adaptation of means to ends; prudent; sagacious; judicious; not rash or heedless; cautious. It is the discreet man, not the witty, nor the learned, nor the brave, who guides the conversation, and gives measures to society. --Addison. Satire 's my weapon, but I 'm too discreet To run amuck, and tilt at all I meet. --Pope. The sea is silent, the sea is discreet. --Longfellow. 2. Differing; distinct. [Obs.] --Spenser. -- Dis*creet"ly, adv. -- Dis*creet"ness, n.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. If you are discreet, you are polite and careful in what you do or say, because you want to avoid embarrassing or offending someone. They were gossipy and not always discreet... ADJ • discreetly I took the phone, and she went discreetly into the living room. ADV: usu ADV with v, also ADV with cl 2. If you are discreet about something you are doing, you do not tell other people about it, in order to avoid being embarrassed or to gain an advantage. She's making a few discreet inquiries with her mother's friends. ADJ: oft ADJ about n • discreetly Everyone tried discreetly to find out more about him. ADV: usu ADV with v, also ADV with cl 3. If you describe something as discreet, you approve of it because it is small in size or degree, or not easily noticed. She wore discreet jewellery. ADJ [approval] • discreetly ...stately houses, discreetly hidden behind great avenues of sturdy trees... ADV: ADV -ed/adj

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. Prudent, cautious, judicious, wise, circumspect, considerate, heedful, wary.

Moby Thesaurus

Olympian, aloof, backward, bashful, blank, calculating, canny, careful, cautious, chary, chilled, chilly, circumspect, close, closemouthed, cold, considerate, constrained, controlled, cool, dark, deliberate, detached, diplomatic, discriminating, discriminative, distant, dry, enlightened, evasive, expressionless, forbidding, frigid, frosty, gingerly, guarded, heedful, hesitant, icy, impassive, impersonal, inaccessible, introverted, judgmatic, judicial, judicious, leaving out nothing, mindful, moderate, modest, noncommittal, offish, on guard, overlooking no possibility, pawky, politic, provident, prudent, prudential, reasonable, reflecting, reflective, regardful, remote, removed, repressed, reserved, restrained, reticent, retiring, safe, secret, secretive, shifty, shrinking, simple, slow to act, standoff, standoffish, subdued, suppressed, tactful, temperate, tentative, thorough, thoughtful, unadorned, unadventurous, unaffable, unapproachable, uncommunicative, uncongenial, undaring, undemonstrative, unelaborate, unenterprising, unexcessive, unexpansive, unextreme, ungenial, unostentatious, unprecipitate, unpretentious, wary, watchful, well-advised, well-judged, withdrawn