discreet
/dɪˈskriːt
/adjective (discreeter, discreetest)
1Careful and prudent in one’s speech or actions, especially in order to keep something confidential or to avoid embarrassment: we made some discreet inquiries...
- A lot of their work is carried out in a very discreet and confidential manner.
- The purpose of the bullying audit was explained and their participation in a confidential and discreet interview was invited.
- Do they fear physical harm or do they fear being forced to be discreet so as to avoid physical harm?
Synonyms
careful, circumspect, cautious, wary, chary, guarded, close-lipped, close-mouthed;
tactful, diplomatic, considerate, politic, prudent, judicious, strategic, wise, sensible;
delicate, kid-glove
informal softly-softly
1.1Intentionally unobtrusive: a discreet cough...
- A discreet cough alerted him to the couple's readiness to leave.
- He jumps in his chair at a discreet cough immediately beside him.
- I talked to him last week in the understated luxury of the discreet Residence.
Synonyms
unobtrusive, inconspicuous;
subtle, low-key, understated, subdued, muted, soft, restrained, unostentatious, downbeat, low-profile
Usage
The words discrete and discreet are pronounced in the same way and share the same origin but they do not mean the same thing. Discrete means ‘separate’, as in a finite number of discrete categories, while discreet means ‘careful and circumspect’, as in you can rely on him to be discreet.
Derivatives
discreetness
/ noun ...- But the discreetness goes beyond what is laid down.
- It sometimes slips by in its discreetness, with the mildest distraction.
- I apologize for my discreetness, but I did not wish for you to panic.
Origin
Middle English: from Old French discret, from Latin discretus 'separate', past participle of discernere 'discern', the sense arising from late Latin discretio (see discretion). Compare with discrete.