discriminate

Discriminate is a verb with several related meanings. In its most basic sense, to discriminate means to perceive or show a difference between things; to distinguish, separate, or classify. For example, a sensor can discriminate between signals of different frequencies, or a researcher can discriminate among competing hypotheses by evaluating differences in the data.

A second, more social sense refers to treating people differently based on characteristics such as race, gender, religion, age, or disability. This form of discrimination involves making a distinction that leads to unequal treatment, and it is often illegal or considered unethical in many contexts, especially in areas such as employment, housing, and education.

Etymologically, discriminate comes from Latin discriminare, meaning to separate or distinguish, and its sense has broadened over time from a neutral distinguishing capability to a more value-laden social judgment.

In practice, discrimination can be neutral or justified in some domains (for example, distinguishing between safe and unsafe practices, or between comparable products). However, unfounded or prejudiced discrimination—treating people unfairly on irrelevant characteristics—remains a central concern for civil rights, ethics, and public policy. The term is frequently contrasted with fairness and equality in discussions of law, policy, and social norms.