Meanings
noundiscretion (usually uncountable, plural discretions)
plural discretions
- uncountableusuallyThe quality of being discreet.
Bob showed great discretion despite his knowledge of the affair.
- uncountableusuallyThe ability to make wise choices or decisions.
With regard to a woman, at nine years of age, she was, if married, considered entitled to her dower; at twelve, she may consent to marriage; at fourteen, she is at years of discretion, and may choose a guardian; […]
1838, Thomas Edlyne Tomlins, A Popular Law-Dictionary - uncountableusuallyThe authority to exercise one's own judgement in making decisions that have effect.
The police came and searched us at their discretion because we were shouting at each other's faces.
Synonyms & antonyms
Opposite
nounknowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress
nounthe power of making free choices unconstrained by external agencies
Similar
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latindiscerno
- Late Latindiscrētiō
- Old Frenchdiscretion
- Middle Englishdiscrecioun
- Englishdiscretion
From Middle English discrecioun, from Old French discretion, from Late Latin discrētiō, from Latin discerno. Equivalent to discreet + -ion.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Late Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian дискретност, благоразумие
- дискретност (diskretnost)the quality of being discreet or circumspect
- благоразумие (blagorazumie)the ability to make wise choices or decisions
- усмотрение (usmotrenie)the freedom to make one's own judgements
- преценка (precenka)the freedom to make one's own judgements
Catalan discreció, discreció
- discrecióthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- discrecióthe ability to make wise choices or decisions
Chinese Mandarin 謹慎 /谨慎
- 謹慎 /谨慎 (jǐnshèn)the quality of being discreet or circumspect
Czech diskrétnost, ohleduplnost
- diskrétnostthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- ohleduplnostthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- uvážlivostthe ability to make wise choices or decisions
- soudnostthe ability to make wise choices or decisions
- možnost uváženíthe freedom to make one's own judgements
- možnost se rozhodnoutthe freedom to make one's own judgements
Dutch discretie
- discretiethe quality of being discreet or circumspect
Esperanto diskreteco
- diskretecothe quality of being discreet or circumspect
Finnish hienotunteisuus, hienovaraisuus
- hienotunteisuusthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- hienovaraisuusthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- tahdikkuusthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- tilannetajuthe ability to make wise choices or decisions
- harkintakykythe ability to make wise choices or decisions
- oma harkintathe freedom to make one's own judgements
French discrétion, discernement
- discrétionthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- discernementthe ability to make wise choices or decisions
- discrétionthe freedom to make one's own judgements
German Diskretion, Takt
- Diskretionthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- Taktthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- Verschwiegenheitthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- Angemessenheitthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- Unaufdringlichkeitthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- Klugheitthe ability to make wise choices or decisions
- Umsichtthe ability to make wise choices or decisions
- Ermessenthe freedom to make one's own judgements
- Gutdünkenthe freedom to make one's own judgements
Greek διακριτικότητα, εχεμύθεια
- διακριτικότητα (diakritikótita)the quality of being discreet or circumspect
- εχεμύθεια (echemýtheia)the quality of being discreet or circumspect
- σύνεση (sýnesi)the ability to make wise choices or decisions
- περίσκεψη (perískepsi)the ability to make wise choices or decisions
- διακριτική ευχέρεια (diakritikí efchéreia)the freedom to make one's own judgements
- διάκριση (diákrisi)the freedom to make one's own judgements
Hebrew שיקול דעת
- שיקול דעת (shikúl dá'at)the ability to make wise choices or decisions
Hindi विवेक, विवेक
- विवेक (vivek)the quality of being discreet or circumspect
- विवेक (vivek)the ability to make wise choices or decisions
Irish críonnacht
- críonnachtthe ability to make wise choices or decisions
Italian discrezione, riservatezza
- discrezionethe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- riservatezzathe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- discernimentothe ability to make wise choices or decisions
Norwegian diskresjon
- diskresjonthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
Persian صلاحدید
- صلاحدید (salâhdid)the freedom to make one's own judgements
Polish dyskrecja, dowolność
- dyskrecjathe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- dowolnośćthe ability to make wise choices or decisions
Portuguese discrição, critério
- discriçãothe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- critériothe freedom to make one's own judgements
Romanian discreție, rezervă
- discrețiethe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- rezervăthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- maturitate (de gândire)the ability to make wise choices or decisions
- libertate de deciziethe freedom to make one's own judgements
Russian осмотри́тельность, прозорли́вость
- осмотри́тельность (osmotrítelʹnostʹ)the quality of being discreet or circumspect
- прозорли́вость (prozorlívostʹ)the ability to make wise choices or decisions
- свобо́да де́йствий (svobóda déjstvij)the freedom to make one's own judgements
- усмотре́ние (usmotrénije)the freedom to make one's own judgements
Spanish discreción
- discreciónthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
Swedish diskretion, omdöme
- diskretionthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- omdömethe ability to make wise choices or decisions
Ukrainian обачність, обережність
- обачність (obačnistʹ)the quality of being discreet or circumspect
- обережність (oberežnistʹ)the quality of being discreet or circumspect
- розважливість (rozvažlyvistʹ)the ability to make wise choices or decisions
- розсуд (rozsud)the freedom to make one's own judgements
Vietnamese cẩn thận, cẩn trọng
- cẩn thậnthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- cẩn trọngthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- thận trọngthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
Welsh pwyll, pwyll
- pwyllthe quality of being discreet or circumspect
- pwyllthe ability to make wise choices or decisions
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
discretion. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/discretion
MLA
“discretion.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/discretion. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “discretion,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/discretion.
Source: discretion on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.