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“Discreet” or “Discrete”

discreet / discrete are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term.

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Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

discreet d·ih·s·k·r·IY·t

  • adjectivemarked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint.

discrete d·ih·s·k·r·IY·t

  • adjectiveconstituting a separate entity or part.
Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“discreet”

  • This discreet royal prize is dwarfed by…
  • …gay, but lives a more discreet life with rent boys to…
  • Discreet about his private life, Johnny…
  • I have been discreet enough as to the last,…
  • …the best solutions to those discreet questions.
  • …is to be sober and discreet."
  • …authorized store managers to mount discreet product displays.
  • …has a vibrant though somewhat discreet artistic community.

“discrete”

  • …should rapidly settle into a discrete M-phase state after the transition,…
  • …time which divided time into discrete indivisible moments (kṣaṇa) and saw…
  • Although discrete circuits can be altered in…
  • …ROM was programmed by installing discrete semiconductor diodes at selected locations…
  • Every disjoint union of discrete spaces is discrete
  • …and can be preserved as discrete fragments or remain stuck to…
  • …problems by processing information on discrete form.
  • Discrete component ROM
  • …strokes, these strokes consist of discrete, side to side rockings of…
  • …science behind flow manufacturing for discrete manufacturers, whose products do not…

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions are drawn from WordNet.

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