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discover
[ dih-skuhv-er ]
verb (used with object)
- 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: , , , , , ,
- to notice or realize:
I discovered I didn't have my credit card with me when I went to pay my bill.
- Archaic. to make known; reveal; disclose.
discover
/ ɪˈʌə /
verb
- to be the first to find or find out about
Fleming discovered penicillin
- to learn about or encounter for the first time; realize
she discovered the pleasures of wine
- to find after study or search
I discovered a leak in the tank
- to reveal or make known
Derived Forms
- 徱ˈDZ, noun
- 徱ˈDZ, adjective
Other Word Forms
- 徱·DZİ·· adjective
- 徱·DZİ·· adverb
- non徱·DZİ·· adjective
- d·DZİ verb (used with object)
- d·DZİ verb (used with object)
- un徱·DZİ·· adjective
- ܲd·DZİ adjective
Word History and Origins
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
So I decided to enter the Fan Transfer Portal, but quickly discovered that ... the line was too long.
Andy Hacking, 61, said he bought the RAF uniform about five years ago in a shop in Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester, and discovered the letter in a pocket with a post mark dated 17 December 1945.
On cracking them open, he and his parents discovered they were full of Jurassic creatures.
A man who bought a £20,000 car to replace the one he had stolen has discovered he has accidentally bought back his own stolen car.
The court heard Felton was distressed after finding out he was the father of a fellow teacher's child and had recently discovered Mr Pyke was in a relationship with the same teacher.
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Related Words
When To Use
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
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 ... ?
are some other forms related to discover?
- discovery (noun)
- discoverable (adjective)
- rediscover (verb)
- undiscovered (adjective)
- discoverer (noun)
are some synonyms for discover?
are some words that share a root or word element with discover?
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.
BREAKING: Scientists discover new hidden chamber in Egypt's Great Pyramid, say its purpose is unknown.
— The Associated Press (@AP)
Researchers have discovered a new species of deep-sea giant isopod, Bathynomus raksasa:
— MBARI (@MBARI_News)
Looking to the sky, retired Oklahoma teacher says he's discovered a new planet
— The National Desk (@TND)
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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