Dictionary

discover en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /dɪˈskavə/ (Australia)
• /dɪˈskʊvə/ (Northern-England)
• /dɪˈskʌvɚ/ (Canada, General-American)
• (California) audio
• /dɪˈskʌvə/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English discoveren, from Old French descovrir, from Late Latin discoperīre < discooperiō, discooperīre, from Latin dis- + cooperiō. Displaced native Old English onfindan.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To find or learn something for the first time.
   • All this has led to an explosion of protest across China, including among a middle class that has discovered nimbyism. 2013 August 10, “Can China clean up fast enough?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
   • Turning the corner, I discovered a lovely little shop. I discovered that they sold widgets.
2. (obsolete, transitive) To remove the cover from; to uncover (a head, building etc.).
   • He set down his bags beside him, on the beautiful red floor, and he took off his hat, for he had reached his destination, discovering his scant red hair, and laid it on the table beside him. 1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, [Paris]: Olympia Press, →OCLC:
3. (archaic, transitive) To expose, uncover.
   • The gust of wind discovered a bone in the sand.
4. (transitive) To create by moving a piece out of another piece's line of attack.
   • This move discovers an attack on a vital pawn.
5. (transitive) To question (a person) as part of discovery in a lawsuit.
   • Indeed, the plaintiffs suggest that they may not need to call Ms. Samji at all if they are allowed to discover the defendant on the new documents before any new trial takes place. 2019 July 2, Ward K. Branch, “Gordon v. Canada, 2017 FC 454”, in CanLII, retrieved 13 Apr 2021:
6. (archaic, transitive) To reveal (information); to divulge, make known.
   • John discovered himself to his parents, and Elizabeth to hers, and the wedding-day was soon fixed, and such a wedding was never seen; before or since in the island of Rügen[.] 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 312:
   • It was in vain to diſcover my Reſentments, which were always turned into Ridicule; and I was forced to reſt with Patience while my noble and moſt beloved Country was ſo injuriouſly treated. 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author’s Love of His Country. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part II (A Voyage to Brobdingnag), page 269:
   • Go, draw aside the curtains, and discover / The several caskets to this noble prince. c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vii]:
   • Prosperity doth best discover vice; but adversity doth best discover virtue. 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Adversity”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
   • I discovered my plans to the rest of the team.
7. (obsolete, transitive) To reconnoitre, explore (an area).
   • they seyde the same, and were aggreed that Sir Clegis, Sir Claryon, and Sir Clement the noble, that they sholde dyscover the woodys, bothe the dalys and the downys. 1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “Capitulum ix”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book V, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC:
8. (obsolete, transitive) To manifest without design; to show; to exhibit.
   • The youth discovered a taste for sculpture. 1871, Charles John Smith, Synonyms Discriminated:
   • The scandal of a lie is in a manner lost and annihilated when diffused among several thousands; as a drop of the blackest tincture wears away and vanishes when mixed and confused in a considerable body of water; the blot is still in it, but is not able to discover itself. 1712 October 21 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “FRIDAY, October 11, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 507; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume V, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 492:
   • The English Cooks keep all their Spices in separate boxes, but the French Cooks make a spicey mixture that does not discover a predominancy of any one of the spices over the others. 1806, Alexander Hunter, Culina Famulatrix Medicinæ, page 125:

Forms

Antonyms

hide (antonym(s) of “expose something previously covered”) · cover up (antonym(s) of “expose something previously covered”) · conceal (antonym(s) of “expose something previously covered”) · miss · overlook · cover (antonym(s) of “expose something previously covered”)

Deriveds

misdiscover (Affixed forms) · discoverer (Affixed forms) · after-discovered evidence (Compound words and expressions) · discovered check (Compound words and expressions) · precover (Affixed forms) · discoverment (Affixed forms) · discovery → nondiscovery (Affixed forms) · undiscover (Affixed forms) · rediscover (Affixed forms) · un… (Affixed forms) · discovered → nondiscovered (Affixed forms) · discoveree (Affixed forms) · discoverability (Affixed forms) · codiscover (Affixed forms) · discovered attack (Compound words and expressions) · -ly (Affixed forms) · undiscovered (Affixed forms) · prediscover (Affixed forms) · -ly → in… (Affixed forms) · discoverable (Affixed forms)

Hypernyms

see

Hyponyms

find out · find one's way · find out the hard way · come to find out

Relateds

find · stumble upon · invent · detect

Synonyms

disinter · detect · spot · identify · find (find something for the first time) · come upon · determine · navigate · discover · locate · place · catch · reveal (expose something previously covered) · pick up · expose (expose something previously covered) · map · explore · come across (find something for the first time) · position · pinpoint · trace · fish up · track · unearth · learn · uncover (expose something previously covered) · recognize · search · check

Translations (256)

bg разкри́вам (expose something previously covered) · sh про̀на̄ћи (find something for the first time) · gl descubrir (expose something previously covered) · vec scovèrzar (find something for the first time) · pt descobrir (find something for the first time) · ru открыва́ть (find something for the first time) · la comperiō (find something for the first time) · gd rùisg (expose something previously covered) · cmn 發現 /发现 (find something for the first time) · de dabei sein (expose something previously covered) · lo ຄົ້ນພົບ (find something for the first time) · kk ашу (find something for the first time) · oc descobrir (expose something previously covered) · vec descovèrzar (expose something previously covered) · ja 発見する (find something for the first time) · fr découvrir (expose something previously covered) · ast descubrir (find something for the first time) · vec descoèrxer (expose something previously covered) · bg откри́вам (find something for the first time) · io deskovrar (expose something previously covered) · ca descobrir (expose something previously covered) · ro descoperi (expose something previously covered) · de erfahren (expose something previously covered) · lv atklāt (find something for the first time) · fur discuvierzi (expose something previously covered) · cmn 發覺 /发觉 (find something for the first time) · gl descubrir (find something for the first time) · be вы́явіць (expose something previously covered) · vec scoprir (find something for the first time) · vec descovèrxar (expose something previously covered) · sh prònāći (expose something previously covered) · mi kite (expose something previously covered) · be адкры́ць (expose something previously covered) · tl tuklas (expose something previously covered) · cs objevovat (expose something previously covered) · be раскры́ць (expose something previously covered) · la dispiciō (find something for the first time) · vi khám phá (expose something previously covered) · it scoprire (find something for the first time) · ka აღმოჩენა (find something for the first time) · tk açyş etmek (find something for the first time) · zza keşıfnayen (find something for the first time) · be выяўля́ць (expose something previously covered) · sh прона̀лазити (find something for the first time) · ang onfindan (find something for the first time) · mi kite (find something for the first time) · ota كشف ایتمك (find something for the first time) · uk виявля́ти (find something for the first time) · ky ачуу (find something for the first time) · kix thōhchūh (expose something previously covered) · br dizoloiñ (find something for the first time) · sh prònāći (find something for the first time) · zza eskera kerden (expose something previously covered) · sh о̀ткрити (expose something previously covered) · vec descoèrxar (find something for the first time) · grc ἐξευρίσκω (expose something previously covered) · cmn 暴露 (expose something previously covered) · hu feltár (expose something previously covered) · vi phát kiến (find something for the first time) · ru раскры́ть (expose something previously covered) · sh откри́вати (find something for the first time) · sh pronàlaziti (expose something previously covered) · io trovar (find something for the first time) · mk открие (find something for the first time) · pl odkryć (expose something previously covered) · el αποκαλύπτω (expose something previously covered) · gd faigh a-mach (find something for the first time) · hu felfedez (find something for the first time) · pl odkrywać (expose something previously covered) · zza keşf kerden (find something for the first time) · uk розкри́ти (expose something previously covered) · lad deskuvrir (find something for the first time) · tg ёфтан (find something for the first time) · ja 見つける (find something for the first time) · sco diskiver (find something for the first time) · la dispectō (expose something previously covered) · vec descovèrzar (find something for the first time) · es descubrir (expose something previously covered) · eo trovi (find something for the first time) · uk відкрива́ти (expose something previously covered) · vec scovèrxar (find something for the first time) · la dispectō (find something for the first time) · be адкры́ць (find something for the first time) · sl odkriti (expose something previously covered) · ur دَرِیافْت کَرْنا (find something for the first time) · ar اِكْتَشَفَ (find something for the first time) · is uppgötva (find something for the first time) · uk знахо́дити (expose something previously covered) · et avastama (find something for the first time) · oc descobrir (find something for the first time) · be адкрыва́ць (expose something previously covered) · hy հայտնաբերել (find something for the first time) · lt atrasti (find something for the first time) · yue 發現 /发现 (find something for the first time) · hi खोज निकालना (find something for the first time) · ms menemui (find something for the first time) · fr découvrir (find something for the first time) · oc descubrir (expose something previously covered) · lt sužinoti (find something for the first time) · tg ошкор кардан (expose something previously covered) · vec scovèrzer (find something for the first time) · kea atxa (expose something previously covered) · it trovare (find something for the first time) · sh òtkriti (find something for the first time) · kw trovya (find something for the first time) · uk відкрива́ти (find something for the first time) · grc ἐξευρίσκω (find something for the first time) · arz اكتشف (find something for the first time) · mk пронајде (find something for the first time) · uk знайти́ (expose something previously covered) · sh otkrívati (find something for the first time) · et tuvastama (find something for the first time) · fa آشکار کردن (expose something previously covered) · got 𐌿𐍆𐌺𐌿𐌽𐌽𐌰𐌽 (expose something previously covered) · vec descovrir (expose something previously covered) · vec descovrir (find something for the first time) · gl descobrir (expose something previously covered) · fur scuvierzi (find something for the first time) · ca descobrir (find something for the first time) · nrf dêcouvri (find something for the first time) · fa کشف کردن (find something for the first time) · la dētegō (find something for the first time) · ru обнару́жить (expose something previously covered) · sv upptäcka (expose something previously covered) · vec scovèrxer (find something for the first time) · fi paljastaa (expose something previously covered) · la inveniō (find something for the first time) · mk открие (expose something previously covered) · acw اكتشف (expose something previously covered) · eo malkovri (expose something previously covered) · mk открива (find something for the first time) · la dispiciō (expose something previously covered) · km សង្កេតឃើញ (find something for the first time) · bg откри́вам (expose something previously covered) · km សង្កេតឃើញ (expose something previously covered) · ru раскрыва́ть (expose something previously covered) · sk odkrývať (expose something previously covered) · kk табу (find something for the first time) · sl odkrivati (expose something previously covered) · sq zbuloj (find something for the first time) · de erleben (expose something previously covered) · be раскрыва́ць (expose something previously covered) · sk objaviť (find something for the first time) · da opdage (find something for the first time) · acw اكتشف (find something for the first time) · be вы́явіць (find something for the first time) · ko 찾아내다 (expose something previously covered) · vec descovèrxar (find something for the first time) · tg кашф кардан (find something for the first time) · it discoprire (expose something previously covered) · fur discuverzi (find something for the first time) · kea otxá (find something for the first time) · nl ontdekken (find something for the first time) · mi whakatōmene (expose something previously covered) · nl onthullen (expose something previously covered) · ro descoperi (find something for the first time) · be выяўля́ць (find something for the first time) · sv avslöja (expose something previously covered) · cs objevit (find something for the first time) · es destapar (expose something previously covered) · hu elárul (expose something previously covered) · rm scuvrir (find something for the first time) · cy darganfod (expose something previously covered) · lad deskuvrir (expose something previously covered) · cs odkrývat (expose something previously covered) · sh otkrívati (expose something previously covered) · ka მიგნება (find something for the first time) · fur discuviergi (expose something previously covered) · uk виявля́ти (expose something previously covered) · tl tukyan (expose something previously covered) · hu felfed (expose something previously covered) · bg нами́рам (expose something previously covered) · ia discoperir (find something for the first time) · ka მიგნება (expose something previously covered) · sh откри́вати (expose something previously covered) · cs odkrýt (expose something previously covered) · fi löytää (find something for the first time) · ru откры́ть (find something for the first time) · sh прона̀лазити (expose something previously covered) · eo malkovri (find something for the first time) · it scoprire (expose something previously covered) · fa یافتن (find something for the first time) · mk пронаоѓа (find something for the first time) · sk objavovať (find something for the first time) · ast descubrir (expose something previously covered) · sv upptäcka (find something for the first time) · es descubrir (find something for the first time) · uk розкрива́ти (expose something previously covered) · sl odkriti (find something for the first time) · uk ви́явити (expose something previously covered) · rup discoapir (find something for the first time) · la reperiō (expose something previously covered) · alt ачар (find something for the first time) · cmn 查出 (find something for the first time) · vec scuajar (find something for the first time) · kea atxa (find something for the first time) · sq zbuloj (expose something previously covered) · sl odkrivati (find something for the first time) · nl blootleggen (expose something previously covered) · scn addunàrisi di (find something for the first time) · nb oppdage (find something for the first time) · mk открива (expose something previously covered) · ajp اَكتشف (find something for the first time) · ar اِكْتَشَفَ (expose something previously covered) · sk odkryť (expose something previously covered) · hu elmond (expose something previously covered) · egy gm-m (expose something previously covered) · is uppgötva (expose something previously covered) · scn scupriri (find something for the first time) · hu leleplez (expose something previously covered) · uk відкри́ти (find something for the first time) · gl descobrir (find something for the first time) · be адкрыва́ць (find something for the first time) · cs objevit (expose something previously covered) · bg откри́я (expose something previously covered) · io deskovrar (find something for the first time) · bg наме́ря (expose something previously covered) · hy բացահայտել (expose something previously covered) · uk відкри́ти (expose something previously covered) · ko 발견하다 (find something for the first time) · pl odkryć (find something for the first time) · kw trovya (expose something previously covered) · ru обнару́живать (expose something previously covered) · lv uzzināt (find something for the first time) · cs objevovat (find something for the first time) · oc descubrir (find something for the first time) · fr dévoiler (expose something previously covered) · pt descobrir (expose something previously covered) · sh pronàlaziti (find something for the first time) · th ค้นพบ (find something for the first time) · ru обнару́жить (find something for the first time) · tr keşfetmek (find something for the first time) · pl odkrywać (find something for the first time) · vec descoèrxer (find something for the first time) · bg разкри́я (expose something previously covered) · vi phát hiện (find something for the first time) · ang onfindan (expose something previously covered) · sh òtkriti (expose something previously covered) · vec descoèrxar (expose something previously covered) · sh о̀ткрити (find something for the first time) · ru обнару́живать (find something for the first time) · az kəşf etmək (find something for the first time) · it discoprire (find something for the first time) · de entdecken (find something for the first time) · uz kashf qilmoq (find something for the first time) · uk ви́явити (find something for the first time) · rup discoapir (expose something previously covered) · bg откри́я (find something for the first time) · uz kashf etmoq (find something for the first time) · el ανακαλύπτω (find something for the first time) · he גִּלָּה (find something for the first time) · got 𐌱𐌹𐌲𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 (expose something previously covered) · sh про̀на̄ћи (expose something previously covered) · mi tūhura (expose something previously covered) · ka აღმოჩენა (expose something previously covered) · hi खोज करना (find something for the first time)

wikipedia: discover