From Latin 'discernere' (to sift apart) — fine judgment as a metaphor for sifting grain, from PIE *krey- (to sieve).
To perceive or recognise something, especially with difficulty or effort; to distinguish between things with judgement.
From Old French 'discerner,' from Latin 'discernere' (to separate out, to distinguish, to perceive distinctly), composed of 'dis-' (apart, asunder — marking separation) and 'cernere' (to sift, to separate, to decide). The Latin verb 'cernere' derives from PIE *krey- (to sieve, to separate by sieving). The core image is of sifting grain through a sieve: discernment is the mental act of passing mixed
The Latin root 'cernere' (to sift) connects an astonishing family of English words. 'Secret' comes from 'se-cernere' (to sift apart, set aside). 'Certain' comes from 'certus,' the past participle of 'cernere' — something certain has been sifted and settled. 'Crime' and 'crisis' descend from the
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