discriminate
/dɪsˈkɹɪmɪneɪt/ · dis·crim·i·nate
verb
- To make distinctions. The artist's use of color helped to discriminate between the different scenes in the painting.
- To make decisions based on prejudice. The law prohibits discriminating against people based on their skin color.
- To set apart as being different; to mark as different; to separate from another by discerning differences; to distinguish. The teacher helped the students to discriminate between the different types of rocks in the geology lesson.
adjective
- Having the difference marked; distinguished by certain tokens. The discriminate markings on the butterfly's wings helped it to blend in with its surroundings.
Did you know? The word 'discriminate' comes from the Latin word 'discernere', which means 'to distinguish' or 'to separate'.