DEAR FANDOM

[cimorene]

I was just going to rant and call you names but then I thought I'd let the Oxford English dictionary speak for me.

• discreet
  
  /diskreet/
  
  • adjective (discreeter, discreetest) careful not to attract attention or give offence.
  
  — DERIVATIVES discreetly adverb.
  
  — USAGE The words discrete and discreet are often confused. Discrete means ‘separate’ (a discrete unit), while discreet means ‘careful and prudent’.
  
  — ORIGIN Old French discret, from Latin discretus ‘separate’.



• discrete
  
  /diskreet/
  
  • adjective individually separate and distinct.
  
  — DERIVATIVES discretely adverb discreteness noun.
  
  — ORIGIN Latin discretus ‘separate’: compare with DISCREET.

OKAY? OKAY.

Next person to use 'discrete' when they're talking about secrecy of love affairs gets deleted from the internet!

Comments

[klynie1.livejournal.com]

You might want to delete me as a preventative measure, since you're sure to see improper usage of both words from me. I can never get them right, even when I look them up, and it's common enough that even my betas often miss it. And I've got damned good betas. *g*

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

I think the easiest way to remember is that "discrete" basically only exists in maths and similar fields. Like "discrete elements". Therefore, 90% of the occurrences in your texts will probably have to be "discreet" :)

P.S. In German there's only one word for both, namely "diskret". I didn't even realize there were two different ones in English *blush*

[klynie1.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the tip! I've made a copy of your comment and put it into my writing folder for future reference. One day I'll learn the difference, but it's nice to have your explanation at my fingertips until then. :)

[perhael.livejournal.com]

Hahaha, I didn't even know this. In Dutch, as in German, there is only one word for both. Thank God I've never had occasion to use either, eh?

[i-naiad.livejournal.com]

I am completely with you on this - it drives me insane.

[claire.livejournal.com]

I CAN ONLY BE SECRETIVE ABOUT ONE LOVE AFFAIR AT A TIME!

[mmeguilotn.livejournal.com]

I recently caught myself about to leave a comment on a story congratulating the author on actually meaning discrete when she used it. I decided that it wasn't her fault that everyone else sucks, but still. Hate!

[vass]

Amen.

[someblazingstar.livejournal.com]

Oh, word. I was starting to wonder if I was the only person on the ENTIRE INTERNET who understood that "discrete" does not mean "unobtrusive."