discriminate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb recognize or perceive the difference
    know apart.
  2. verb treat differently on the basis of sex or race
    single out; separate.
  3. verb distinguish
    • I could not discriminate the different tastes in this complicated dish
  4. adjective marked by the ability to see or make fine distinctions
    • discriminate judgments
    • discriminate people

WordNet

Dis*crim"i*nate adjective
Etymology
L. discriminatus, p. p. of discriminare to divide, separate, fr. discrimen division, distinction, decision, fr. discernere. See Discern, and cf. Criminate.
Definitions
  1. Having the difference marked; distinguished by certain tokens. Bacon.
Dis*crim"i*nate transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Discriminated ; present participle & verbal noun Discriminating
Definitions
  1. To set apart as being different; to mark as different; to separate from another by discerning differences; to distinguish. Cowper.
    To discriminate the goats from the sheep. Barrow.
Dis*crim"i*nate intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To make a difference or distinction; to distinguish accurately; as, in judging of evidence, we should be careful to discriminate between probability and slight presumption.
  2. (a) To treat unequally. (b) (Railroads) To impose unequal tariffs for substantially the same service.

Webster 1913