Discover means to find something that was hidden, unknown, or not realized before. When you discover a new hiking trail in the woods near your house, you're finding something that existed all along but was new to you. When scientists discover a new species of beetle in the rainforest, they've found something no human had identified before.

The word carries a sense of excitement and surprise. You might discover that you love drawing after trying it for the first time, or discover a twenty-dollar bill in an old coat pocket. Explorers throughout history have talked about discovering new lands, though people already lived there: what was a discovery for the explorer was already home to others.

Discovery takes many forms. A detective discovers clues to solve a mystery. A doctor discovers the cause of an illness. You might discover why your bicycle chain keeps falling off, or discover that your seemingly quiet classmate is actually hilarious once you get to know them.

Sometimes people confuse discover with invent, but they're different: you discover something that already exists, while you invent something completely new.