Where does “discreet” come from?
Discreet comes from Middle English discrete, from Old French discret, from Latin discretus meaning "separated," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "to sift" and "two."
discreet (English): Respectful of privacy or secrecy; exercising...
Definitions
- Respectful of privacy or secrecy; exercising...
Ancestry of “discreet”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | discrete | — |
| 2 | Old French | discret | different |
| 3 | Latin | discrētus | separated |
| 4 | Latin | discernō | to separate, set apart, divide, part |
| 5 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 6 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 7 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |