Discreet
/dɪˈskriːt/noun
Careful in speech or action so as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information.
Did you know?Discreet comes from Latin discretius, from discernere, meaning “to separate” or “to distinguish,” so its oldest sense is about sharp judgment, not secrecy alone.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*krei-
“to sift, separate, distinguish”
Latin
Latin
cernere
“to separate, sift, decide”
Latin
Latin
discernere
“to separate apart, distinguish clearly”
Late Latin
Latin
discretus
“separate, distinct; prudent, judicious”
Old French
Old French
discret
“discerning, prudent; reserved”
Middle English
English
discreet
“prudent, judicious, careful in conduct”