decern

D2E1C3E1R1N1
US/dɪˈsɝn/UK/dɪˈsɜːn/

verb

To decide or determine (a matter disputed or doubtful), with simple object, with infinitive or object clause, or intransitive.

OriginFrench décerner ← Latin dēcernō →
Scrabble 9
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbdecern (third-person singular simple present decerns, present participle decerning, simple past and past participle decerned)

present singular third person decerns · participle present decerning · participle past decerned · past decerned

  1. obsoletetransitiveTo decide or determine (a matter disputed or doubtful), with simple object, with infinitive or object clause, or intransitive.
  2. To decree (something) by judicial sentence.
    1. intransitivesometimestransitiveScots lawTo decree by judicial sentence that something be done.
    2. intransitivesometimestransitiveScots lawTo decree a person etc. to be or to do something by judicial sentence. (in the phrase “to decern in”, obsolete) To mulct in by decree of court.

      He purſued Andrew Houſtoun upon his promiſe, to give him the like Sallary for the next year, and in abſence obtained him to be holden as confeſt and Decerned.

      1668 July 3rd, James Dalrymple, “Thomas Rue contra Andrew Houſtoun” in The Deciſions of the Lords of Council & Seſſion I (Edinburgh, 1683), pages 547–548
  3. obsoletetransitiveTo discern; to distinguish or separate by differences (things that differ, or one thing from another).
    1. intransitiveobsoletetransitiveTo distinguish; to discriminate between.
  4. To see distinctly (with the eyes or the mind); distinguish (an object or fact); discern.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
distinguishespypipeseespottell apart

Origin

  1. Latindēcernō“to decide, pronounce a decision”
  2. Frenchdécerner
  3. Englishdecern

First attested in late Middle English circa 1425; from the French décerner, from the Latin dēcernō (“to decide, pronounce a decision”), from dē (“of, from, away from”) + cernō (“to separate, distinguish”), whence the English cern. In Old French, the forms of décerner were frequently conflated with those of descerner, discerner; the two verbs were not clearly distinguished until the 16th century; hence, in English also, decern is found with the sense discern.

More words from French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Sounds the same

discern
Cite this entry
APA

decern. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decern

MLA

“decern.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decern. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “decern,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decern.

Source: decern on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.