- 1[intransitive, transitive] to recognize that there is a difference between people or things; to show a difference between people or things synonym differentiate, distinguish discriminate (between A and B) The computer program was unable to discriminate between letters and numbers. discriminate something When do babies learn to discriminate voices? discriminate A from B A number of features discriminate this species from others. See related entries: Social justice
- 2[intransitive] to treat one person or group worse/better than another in an unfair way discriminate (against somebody) | discriminate (in favour of somebody) practices that discriminate against women and in favour of men discriminate (on the grounds of something) It is illegal to discriminate on grounds of race, sex or religion. Wordfinderequalbias, discriminate, equal, feminism, homophobia, human right, marginalize, persecute, race, society Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbpositively, actively, unfairly, … prepositionagainst, in favour/favor of, on (the) grounds of, … See full entry Word Originearly 17th cent.: from Latin discriminat- ‘distinguished between’, from the verb discriminare, from discrimen ‘distinction’, from the verb discernere, from dis- ‘apart’ + cernere ‘to separate’.Extra examples He claims he was racially discriminated against when he applied for the job. The present law discriminates unfairly against women. They discriminate positively in favour/favor of workers from ethnic minorities. Workers must avoid discriminating on the grounds of race or sex. practices that discriminate against women
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BrE BrE//dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪt//; NAmE NAmE//dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪt//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they discriminate BrE BrE//dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪt//; NAmE NAmE//dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪt//
he / she / it discriminates BrE BrE//dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪts//; NAmE NAmE//dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪts//
past simple discriminated BrE BrE//dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪtɪd//; NAmE NAmE//dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪtɪd//
past participle discriminated BrE BrE//dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪtɪd//; NAmE NAmE//dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪtɪd//
-ing form discriminating BrE BrE//dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪtɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪtɪŋ//
Social justiceCheck pronunciation: discriminate
