Discreet vs discrete
Discreet and discrete sound the same. Discreet means careful and quiet, so as to keep things private. Discrete means separate, existing as individual parts.
In discrete, the t keeps the two e's apart, and discrete means separate.
discreet adjective
Careful to keep private things private, and quiet and tactful so no one is embarrassed.
- With a discreet cough, the waiter let them know the restaurant was about to close.
- You can tell her the secret because she is very discreet.
discrete adjective
Separate from the others and not joined to them, so each one stands on its own.
- The course is divided into discrete modules that students can take in any order.
- The project has three discrete stages, each with its own deadline.
Watch out
- Discrete was once a spelling of discreet, but that use is obsolete. Today the careful, private meaning is always spelled discreet.
Test yourself
Please be blank and don't tell anyone about the surprise party.
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discreet. It is about keeping something private, so discreet.
The data is sorted into blank groups that do not overlap.
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discrete. The groups are separate from each other, so discrete.
A good doctor is blank and never talks about her patients.
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discreet. It is about keeping private things private, so discreet.
Shoe sizes come in blank steps, such as 8, 8½ and 9, with nothing in between.
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discrete. The sizes are separate values, not a smooth range, so discrete.
Full entries: discreetdiscrete