discretion means the quality of being discreet. It carries an Arena rating of 1431, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, discretion ranks #513 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #824 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #1,989 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #4,068 of 17,143 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words.
discretion is pronounced /dɪˈskɹɛʃən/.
Why “discretion” is a great word
The quality of behaving or speaking so as to avoid giving offense or revealing private matters, or the freedom to make one's own judgments and choices. From Middle English discrecioun, from Old French discretion, from Late Latin discrētiōnem (nominative discrētiō, 'separation, distinction, discernment'), from Latin discernere ('to separate, distinguish, discern'). Unlike indiscretion, which spotlights a single lapse in judgment, or tact, which is the deft social dance of avoiding offense, discretion is the broader, deeper faculty of prudent silence and independent choice. It is the unopened letter slid back across the table, the measured pause before a reply, and the sovereign right to simply walk away—the quiet power that governs what is said and what is held, defining the boundaries of both our social and inner selves.
Etymology
From Middle English discrecioun, from Old French discretion, from Late Latin discrētiō, from Latin discerno. Equivalent to discreet + -ion.
noun
- The quality of being discreet.e.g.“Bob showed great discretion despite his knowledge of the affair.”
- The ability to make wise choices or decisions.
- The freedom to make one's own judgements.e.g.“I leave that to your discretion.”
- The freedom to make one's own judgements.; The authority to exercise one's own judgement in making decisions that have effect.e.g.“The police came and searched us at their discretion because we were shouting at each other's faces.”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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