discrimination - Master This Word

discrimination Word Meanings

• the act of treating someone differently based on characteristics
• the ability to recognize differences between things
• unfair treatment of a person or group

discrimination Example Sentences

Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.

• Discrimination is wrong.
• Many people face discrimination every day.
• We must fight against discrimination.
• Discrimination hurts feelings and lives.
• Everyone deserves to be treated equally, without discrimination.

discrimination Word Etymology

dis- = apart + criminare = to sift, separate. From Latin 'discriminare' to differentiate, to distinguish. Imagine a magnifying glass revealing differences between objects, helping you see hidden details.

English Brain Route

I set my bag down, adjust my stance, and move my eyes around the room, listening for the little cues of discrimination. When a person is spoken to differently because of how they look, I pull back a step and feel the air tighten, as if fairness has a gentle push. I keep tracing the moment, changing my stance to include everyone in the circle, letting the scene teach me what bias sounds like in real life. By the end, the word discrimination becomes a feeling I recognize through action, not through a rulebook.

Real Context

Discrimination has two distinct senses in English. It can mean the ability to perceive and recognize differences between things, which is a neutral, even useful skill in fields like science and design. More commonly, however, discrimination refers to unfair treatment of someone or a group based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, or religion. This negative sense is what most learners encounter in news, policy, and everyday conversations. When talking about policies, one often says 'racial discrimination' or 'age discrimination.' While discrimination can be countable in rare legal phrases ('a discrimination'), it is usually uncountable or used in compounds. Understanding the distinction helps avoid misusing it as a simple synonym for bias or prejudice.

Usage Reminders

• Know two senses of discrimination
• Use 'discriminate between' for identifying differences
• Use 'discriminate against' for unfair treatment
• Common collocations: racial discrimination, gender discrimination
• Discrimination is usually uncountable; rare legal phrases may use 'a discrimination'
• Be careful not to confuse with prejudice or bias

Common Misconceptions

• Discrimination always means bias or prejudice.
• Discriminate and discrimination are the same as distinguish.
• Discrimination only refers to race.
• You can say 'a discrimination' in everyday English.
• Discrimination and bias cannot occur in non-social contexts.

Thinking Differences

In English, discrimination commonly carries a negative bias sense, so learners often mistake neutral 'distinguish' uses for bias. The two senses are distinct but context-heavy; pay attention to adjectives like 'racial' or 'gender' to signal the negative sense.

Learning Tips

• Practice two constructions: discriminate between (differences) and discriminate against (unfair treatment).
• Use collocations like racial discrimination and gender discrimination to signal the negative sense.
• Note that discrimination is usually uncountable; rarely you will see 'a discrimination'.
• Watch pronunciation stress around -crimi- in discrimination.
• Compare with related words: bias, prejudice, differentiate.
• Read policy or news sentences to see context-driven usage.

5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English

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