Answer: Discreet vs. Discrete

[kay-brooke.livejournal.com]

What is the difference between "discreet" and "discrete"?

With examples from Stargate Atlantis.


"Discreet" and "discrete" are two words that are often confused in writing. Not surprising, considering that they sound the same and until relatively recently were used interchangeably in English. Both words come from the same Latin root word discretus, which can mean both "discerning" and "distinct." Now, however, they are two different words with different meanings, so it's important to know which one you want.

Let's start with some straightforward dictionary definitions, right from Dictionary.com:

Discreet is an adjective and means "judicious in one's conduct or speech, especially with regard to respecting privacy or maintaining silence about something of a delicate nature; prudent; circumspect."

1. Because of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, John and Rodney had to be discreet about their relationship.

2. Teyla kept her words polite and discreet, even though all she wanted to do was punch the smug merchant.

Discrete is also an adjective, but it means "apart or detached; consisting of or characterized by distinct or individual parts; discontinuous."

1. The Ancient artifact was made up of three discrete pieces that fit together like a puzzle.

2. The best thing about his team, Sheppard thought, was how four such discrete individuals came together to make a really awesome whole.

Discrete is also a term associated with mathematics. Discrete mathematics is "the study of mathematical structures are that fundamentally discrete in the sense of not supporting or requiring the notion of continuity" (taken from Wikipedia). So while Zelenka might talk about discrete math, he would never talk about discreet math (unless they were doing math in secret for some reason!)

How to remember which is which? This might help: in "discrete" the e's are separated by a t, and discrete is the word that means separate, apart, discontinuous.

Comments

[sosaith.livejournal.com]

Thanks for this. I somehow managed to miss the fact that there were two words to choose from. This is a mistake I will never make again.

[whymzycal.livejournal.com]

I freak right the hell out when I run across these words used incorrectly in fanfiction, and I've never seen it explained so perfectly. I'll be pointing people in this direction forevermore.

[horusguard76.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, I wasn't aware of the word 'discrete', I only knew 'discreet' (and taking my spell checker into consideration, I suppose it at times suggested the wrong word.) And once again I learned something new. :)

[jaletac.livejournal.com]

The grammar gurus strike again! Thanks! Now on to saving more of the world from bad grammar! (Yes, using all exclamation points is bad form, but you're superheroes, aren't you? Therefore you are excused from that particular rule.)

[kneelandwet.livejournal.com]

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[dacygan.livejournal.com]

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