Discretion (14세기) 개인 선택 혹은 판단. 자유 결정권. 책임있는 결정을 할 능력. 분별하고 구별하는 결과. 분별력. 재량권.
1
a
: individual choice or judgment
left the decision to his discretion
b
: power of free decision or latitude of choice within certain legal bounds
reached the age of discretion
2
: the quality of having or showing discernment or good judgment : the quality of being discreet : CIRCUMSPECTION
especially : cautious reserve in speech
3
: ability to make responsible decisions
4
: the result of separating or distinguishing
Synonyms
common sense
discreetness
gumption [chiefly dialect]
horse sense
levelheadedness
nous [chiefly British]
policy
prudence
sense
sensibleness
wisdom
wit
Examples of discretion in a Sentence
Though it is worth noting that to live in a place where other people come just for pleasure has the odd effect of making me feel transient, while the visitors seem more fixed and permanent in their lives, coming as they do from more conventional homes far away. It is as if I am always waiting for them and am here at their discretion.
—Richard Ford, Wall Street Journal, 14-15 June 2008
In Texas "capital" murder doesn't necessarily mean a death-penalty case; it's the designation for any aggravated murder, and prosecutors have full discretion in deciding whether to seek death in such cases.
—John Cloud, Time, 14 July 2003
Del Monte was a courtier, bureaucrat, diplomat and politician born and bred and he understood the need for discretion.
—Peter Robb, The Man Who Became Caravaggio, (1998) 1999
Each artist in the gallery has discretion over the price that will be charged for his or her work.
Recent Examples on the Web
However, the results — which are released at the discretion of the president — should not necessarily be taken at face value since presidents have a history of deceiving the American public about their health, historians told McClatchy News.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024
Despite Kate Middleton's Recovery (Exclusive) Her wish is for privacy While King Charles disclosed both his procedure for an enlarged prostate and his cancer diagnosis, Princess Kate chose discretion.
—Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 28 Feb. 2024
Muzaffar Chishti, a senior fellow at the Migration Policy Institute at the NYU School of Law, said other mayoral administrations followed suit by implementing policies that give city agencies greater discretion to resist immigration enforcement.
—Natalie Kainz, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'discretion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English discrecioun "rational perception, moral discernment, good judgment," borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French discreciun, descrecion, borrowed from Late Latin discrētiōn-, discrētiō "separation, act or power of distinguishing, caution, prudence," going back to Latin, "division, discrimination," from discrē-, variant stem of discernere "to separate, distinguish" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at DISCERN
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of discretion was in the 14th century
