discreet
adjective/dɪˈskriːt/
/dɪˈskriːt/
Word Family
- discreet adjective (≠ indiscreet)
- discretion noun (≠ indiscretion)
- careful in what you say or do, in order to keep something secret or to avoid causing difficulty for somebody or making them feel embarrassed synonym tactful
- He was always very discreet about his love affairs.
- You ought to make a few discreet enquiries before you sign anything.
- A discreet glance at the clock told me the interview had lasted an hour.
Oxford Collocations DictionaryDiscreet is used with these nouns:- advertisement
- distance
- enquiry
- …
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French discret, from Latin discretus ‘separate’, past participle of discernere ‘discern’, the sense arising from late Latin discretio ‘separation’, from discernere, from dis- ‘apart’ + cernere ‘to separate’. Compare with discrete.
Check pronunciation:
discreet