Dictionary

decern en · VERB

Pronunciation

• dĭsûrnʹ (Received-Pronunciation)
• dĭsûrnʹ (General-American)
• /dɪˈsɜːn/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /dɪˈsɝn/ (General-American)

Etymology

First attested in late Middle English circa 1425; from the French décerner, from the Latin dēcernō (“to decide, pronounce a decision”), from dē (“of, from, away from”) + cernō (“to separate, distinguish”), whence the English cern. In Old French, the forms of décerner were frequently conflated with those of descerner, discerner; the two verbs were not clearly distinguished until the 16th century; hence, in English also, decern is found with the sense discern.

Meanings

1. (obsolete, transitive) To decide or determine (a matter disputed or doubtful), with simple object, with infinitive or object clause, or intransitive.
2. (intransitive, qualifier:Scots law, sometimes, transitive) To decree (something) by judicial sentence. ▸ To decree by judicial sentence that something be done.
3. (intransitive, qualifier:Scots law, sometimes, transitive) To decree (something) by judicial sentence. ▸ To decree a person etc. to be or to do something by judicial sentence. (in the phrase “to decern in”, obsolete) To mulct in by decree of court.
   • He purſued Andrew Houſtoun upon his promiſe, to give him the like Sallary for the next year, and in abſence obtained him to be holden as confeſt and Decerned. 1668 July 3rd, James Dalrymple, “Thomas Rue contra Andrew Houſtoun” in The Deciſions of the Lords of Council & Seſſion I (Edinburgh, 1683), pages 547–548
4. (obsolete, transitive) To discern; to distinguish or separate by differences (things that differ, or one thing from another).
5. (intransitive, obsolete, transitive) To discern; to distinguish or separate by differences (things that differ, or one thing from another). ▸ To distinguish; to discriminate between.
6. To see distinctly (with the eyes or the mind); distinguish (an object or fact); discern.

Forms

Deriveds

decerning · decernment · decerniture

Relateds

decernent