verb
discriminate
dih-SKRIM-ih-nayt/dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪt/
To distinguish and treat things differently.
The gatekeeper discriminates against the wheelchair user while welcoming another equally prepared applicant.
Etymology
A 'distinction' underlies the original sense of noticing or marking differences. The selected meaning turns that neutral activity into making distinctions that unfairly disadvantage a group of people.
In context
Business owners can discriminate because of their personal convictions, or to maximize profits, or just because they’re straight-up racists.
More examples
- The policy discriminates against workers with disabilities.
- With practice, listeners learn to discriminate between similar sounds.
- The test discriminates between harmless bacteria and dangerous ones.
Forms
discriminate · discriminates · discriminated · discriminating
discrimination noun — Recognizing differences or treating groups unfairly.
discriminatory adjective — Showing unfair treatment based on group identity.
Similar words
- distinguish
- Emphasizes recognizing differences, without implying unfair treatment.
- differentiate
- Can mean identifying or creating differences, not necessarily treating unfairly.