51Թ

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View synonyms for

discover

[ dih-skuhv-er ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to see, get knowledge of, learn of, find, or find out; gain sight or knowledge of (something previously unseen or unknown):

    to discover America;

    to discover electricity.

    Synonyms: , , , , , ,

  2. to notice or realize:

    I discovered I didn't have my credit card with me when I went to pay my bill.

  3. Archaic. to make known; reveal; disclose.


discover

/ ɪˈʌə /

verb

  1. to be the first to find or find out about

    Fleming discovered penicillin

  2. to learn about or encounter for the first time; realize

    she discovered the pleasures of wine

  3. to find after study or search

    I discovered a leak in the tank

  4. to reveal or make known
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • 徱ˈDZ, noun
  • 徱ˈDZ, adjective
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • 徱·DZİ·· adjective
  • 徱·DZİ·· adverb
  • non徱·DZİ·· adjective
  • d·DZİ verb (used with object)
  • d·DZİ verb (used with object)
  • un徱·DZİ·· adjective
  • ܲd·DZİ adjective
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of discover1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English discouere(n), descuvere(n), from Anglo-French discoverir, descovrir, from Old French descovrir, descuvrir, from Late Latin 徱ǴDZī “to disclose, expose”; dis- 1, cover
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Synonym Study

Discover, invent, originate suggest bringing to light something previously unknown. To discover may be to find something that had previously existed but had hitherto been unknown: to discover a new electricity; it may also refer to devising a new use for something already known: to discover how to make synthetic rubber. To invent is to make or create something new, especially something ingeniously devised to perform mechanical operations: to invent a device for detecting radioactivity. To originate is to begin something new, especially new ideas, methods, etc.: to originate a political movement, the use of assembly-line techniques.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Brand belongs to a long line of celebrities who, because of scandal or simply falling out of fashion, have discovered the cash and ego-fluffing benefits of converting to the Church of MAGA.

From

Timothy breaks the glasses as the family discovers the truth, but not before Piper and Lochlan are sick.

From

“Coming-of-age tropes and horror go hand in hand, because horror is always about discovering another world, and coming-of-age stories are indeed also about discovering a new world,” he explains.

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It was also discovered that when they were frozen before being placed in the chamber, their hardened shells were more resilient to cracking at altitude.

From

"Now the song's finished, and it's out, I'm discovering more and more every single day that Persians are really, really proud of their culture, and it's great to celebrate it," Sheeran told BBC Radio 1.

From

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When To Use

What are other ways to saydiscover?

To discover something is to see, get knowledge of, or find it. How does discover differ from learn, ascertain, and detect? Find out on .

More About Discover

What doesdiscover mean?

To discover is to find or find out about something for the first time.

Discovering involves locating or gaining knowledge about something that was previously unknown or unseen. The word is especially associated with finding new places (as in discovering new lands) and scientific breakthroughs (as in discovering a cure).

Something that’s discovered in this way is called a discovery. The adjective undiscovered is used to describe something that has never been found, as in Even in the modern age, there are still probably a few undiscovered places.

The word discover also has few a more basic senses: to notice or realize (as in When I went to open the door, I discovered that I had lost my key); to encounter for the first time (as in I remember when I discovered my love of coffee); and to find after research or inspection (as in I discovered the bug in the code).

Example: Ancient Oceanic peoples discovered new methods of seafaring that allowed them to discover and settle faraway islands.

Where doesdiscover come from?

The first records of the word discover come from the 1300s. It comes from the Late Latin 徱ǴDZī, meaning “to disclose” or “to expose.” The prefixdis- indicates a reversal. The prefix un- in uncover means just about the same thing, but discover and uncover are typically used in different ways.

When something is discovered, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it had been covered or hidden. Though its use can sometimes overlap with discover, the word uncover typically means something different—“to expose” or “to reveal.” To discover a conspiracy is to find out that it exists, but to uncover it is to reveal it.

Discovering something involves seeing it, learning of it, or encountering it for the first time. History books are filled with examples of people credited with having discovered a new place even though it was already inhabited, or of people credited with having made some kind of scientific or technological breakthrough when in fact it was known about for a long time by someone else or by people in another part of the world. In cases like this, the so-called discoverer didn’t really discover the thing so much as found it again.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to discover?

What are some synonyms for discover?

What are some words that share a root or word element with discover?

What are some words that often get used in discussing discover?

How isdiscover used in real life?

The word discover is especially used in the context of exploration and scientific breakthroughs.

Try usingdiscover!

Which of the following things could be discovered?

A. a newly found species
B. a newly observed planet
C. a newly developed cure
D. all of the above

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