discreet
115
5.8
- adjective
- /dɪˈskrit/
:
discreto
- You should have been more discreet.
- more discreet
- a discreet silence
- a discreet location
It can be kept quite discreet and it looks fresh at all ages.
- It can be kept quite discreet and it looks fresh at all ages.
- And you posted married looking for discreet sex.
- It's ships directly to your door in discreet packaging.
- However, they were fairly discreet about it.
- Why don't they put it in like a more discreet box?
- We we need to be discreet.
- And I think it's because I have this camera, so I'm being discreet until we leave the airport.
- They're your earbuds are stylish and discreet desperate.
- OK, So because it's it's a discreet, you don't realize it's going on.
- The intention was to make a discreet so that they could their kid exist, right.
Examples
-
She was discreet about her plans, ensuring no one overheard them.
-
I will follow at a discreet distance.
-
- But can you please be discreet about it?
-
I hope you will keep the matter as discreet as you have so far.
Fiction book (1993) -
We shall follow at a discreet distance, not to hurry those ahead of us.
Fiction book (1992) -
However, they were fairly discreet about it.
-
You could be a little more discreet.
-
-I completely understand and I'll be discreet.
-
"Lieutenant," Fuller said, "the Institute prefers to be discreet about this incident."
Fiction book (1992) -
U.S. statesmen today might similarly benefit from maintaining a discreet silence and avoiding offense until absolutely necessary.
Academic text (2004)
Synonyms
189
1.0
Not attracting attention and simple in style
90
2.5
To say nothing or not tell a secret
36
3.9
Act quietly so people do not notice you
15
6.9
Not easy to see or notice
11
7.9
Careful about possible risks before acting or deciding
8
6.7
Not attracting attention or standing out to others
Antonyms
8
7.0
Not careful about what you say or do, revealing private facts and causing embarrassment
How Discreet
Surface Forms
Morphology
discreet = discrete (opaque) = dis + creet
Although the form matches a historical dis- + root sequence (related to 'discrete'), the modern meaning 'tactful' cannot be predicted from 'discrete' or the apparent prefix.
Etymology
Discreet comes from a Latin idea of being 'set apart', from dis- 'apart' and the same part you see in discrete. So a discreet person keeps things private and acts carefully to avoid attention.