adj
discreet
dih-SKREET
adj
1
Careful and tactful in what one says or does, especially to avoid causing embarrassment.
"The nurse was discreet about the patient's condition."
"He made a discreet exit before the speeches began."
How to Use Discreet
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishQuietly careful not to draw attention or reveal private information.
Common mistake
Easily confused with "discrete" (meaning separate/distinct) — same origin, totally different modern meaning and spelling.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
discreet about
remain discreet
a discreet distance
Word Forms
more discreet comparative, discreeter comparative, most discreet superlative, discreetest superlative
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The nurse was _____ about the patient's condition.
Etymology
From Old French discret, from Latin discretus, "separated, distinguished" — a doublet of "discrete," which kept the spelling but split off the meaning.