To discriminate means to treat people differently based on characteristics like their race, religion, gender, or background rather than judging them as individuals. When someone discriminates, they make unfair assumptions about a person because of what group they belong to, not because of who they actually are or what they've done.

Discrimination can happen in many ways. A teacher who discriminates might call on boys more often than girls, assuming boys are better at math without giving everyone a fair chance. A sports team captain who discriminates might exclude a talented player because of their religion. Throughout history, laws in many countries discriminated against people, denying them equal rights and opportunities based on arbitrary characteristics rather than their abilities or character.

The word also has a different, more neutral meaning: to recognize distinctions or differences. A careful reader learns to discriminate between reliable and unreliable sources of information. A musician might have a discriminating ear that can detect subtle differences in pitch. In this sense, discriminating means being thoughtful and perceptive about differences that matter.

When you hear “discriminate” today, context tells you which meaning applies. Usually it refers to unfair treatment, but sometimes it simply means noticing important differences with care and intelligence.