Dis*cern"er (?), n. One who, or that which, discerns, distinguishes, perceives, or judges; as, a discerner of truth, of right and wrong.
A great observer and discerner of men's natures.
Clarendon.
Dis*cern"i*ble (?), a. [L. discernibilis.] Capable of being discerned by the eye or the understanding; as, a star is discernible by the eye; the identity of difference of ideas is discernible by the understanding.
The effect of the privations and sufferings . . . was discernible to the last in his temper and deportment.
Macaulay.
Syn. -- Perceptible; distinguishable; apparent; visible; evident; manifest.
Dis*cern"i*ble*ness, n. The quality of being discernible.
Dis*cern"i*bly, adv. In a manner to be discerned; perceptibly; visibly. Hammond.
Dis*cern"ing, a. Acute; shrewd; sagacious; sharp-sighted. Macaulay.
Dis*cern"ing*ly, adv. In a discerning manner; with judgment; judiciously; acutely. Garth.
Dis*cern"ment (?), n. [Cf. F. discernement.] 1. The act of discerning.
2. The power or faculty of the mind by which it distinguishes one thing from another; power of viewing differences in objects, and their relations and tendencies; penetrative and discriminate mental vision; acuteness; sagacity; insight; as, the errors of youth often proceed from the want of discernment.
Syn. -- Judgment; acuteness; discrimination; penetration; sagacity; insight. -- Discernment, Penetration, Discrimination. Discernment is keenness and accuracy of mental vision; penetration is the power of seeing deeply into a subject in spite of everything that intercepts the view; discrimination is a capacity of tracing out minute distinctions and the nicest shades of thought. A discerning man is not easily misled; one of a penetrating mind sees a multitude of things which escape others; a discriminating judgment detects the slightest differences.
Dis*cerp" (?), v. t. [L. discerpere, discerptum; dis- + carpere to pluck.] 1. To tear in pieces; to rend. [R.] Stukeley.