Where does “discerning” come from?
Discerning comes from Middle English discernen, from Old French discerner, from Latin discernere, meaning to separate or distinguish, combining Latin dis- with cernere, to sift or perceive, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to sieve and two.
discerning (English): present participle of discern; Of keen insight or...
Definitions
- present participle of discern; Of keen insight or...
Ancestry of “discerning”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | discern | To detect with the senses, especially with the... |
| 2 | Middle English | discernen | — |
| 3 | Old French | discerner | — |
| 4 | Latin | discernere | second-person singular future passive indicative... |
| 5 | Latin | cernō | to distinguish, divide, separate, sift |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | krinō | sift, separate; distinguish, discern; decide |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | krey- | to sift, separate, divide |