- separate or distinct in form or concept
- consisting of distinct or separate parts
- (of a distribution) relating to a discrete variable
Compare continuous
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
dis•crete /dɪˈskrit/USA pronunciation
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- apart or detached from others;
separate;
distinct:The college was reorganized into six discrete departments.
dis•crete
(di skrēt′),USA pronunciation adj.
dis•crete′ly, adv.
dis•crete′ness, n.
- apart or detached from others;
separate;
distinct:six discrete parts. - consisting of or characterized by distinct or individual parts;
discontinuous. - Mathematics
- Mathematics(of a topology or topological space) having the property that every subset is an open set.
- defined only for an isolated set of points:a discrete variable.
- Mathematicsusing only arithmetic and algebra;
not involving calculus:discrete methods.
- Latin discrētus separated; see discreet
- Middle English 1350–1400
dis•crete′ness, n.
- 1. different, individual, unconnected.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
discrete /dɪsˈkriːt/ adj discreet
'discrete' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Barkhausen
- computer
- digital computer
- discreet
- punched tape
- quantum theory
- atomism
- breast
- calculus of finite differences
- coarticulation
- double cloth
- eustele
- graph
- indiscrete
- individual
- interpolation
- line spectrum
- load
- manifold
- Markov chain
- miniaturist
- particular
- particulate inheritance
- Planck's radiation law
- probability density function
- quantize
- quantum jump
- quantum number
- track
- Zeno's paradox
- segment
- segmental
- separate
- situation comedy
- spectral line
- subliminal