# discretion

Pronunciation: say "di-SKRESH-uhn" /dɪˈskɹɛʃən/

## Noun

1. Carefulness about what one reveals, so as to keep private matters private and avoid causing embarrassment.
   - Simple: Care taken not to share private things or cause embarrassment.
   - _The assistant managed the senator's schedule with quiet discretion._
   - _Reporters praised her for the discretion she showed in protecting her sources._
2. The freedom to use one's own judgment in deciding how to act.
   - Simple: The freedom to make your own choices and decisions.
   - _Volunteers were given wide discretion in how they spent the donated funds._
   - _Within these guidelines, you have complete discretion to organize the work._
3. The authority to use one's own judgment when making decisions that carry real, binding effect.
   - Simple: The official power to decide something using your own judgment.
   - _The committee acted within its discretion when it rejected the proposal._
   - _Funding decisions for the program are left to the director's discretion._
4. The ability to make wise choices or sound decisions, especially in difficult situations.
   - Simple: The ability to make wise and sensible choices.
   - _Years of practice gave the surgeon the discretion to know which risks were worth taking._
   - _Investors valued his discretion in steering the fund away from doomed ventures._

## Origin

The word came through Middle English discrecioun and Old French discretion from Late Latin discrētiō, which goes back to Latin discerno. It is equivalent to discreet plus the suffix -ion.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/discretion (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).