- The definition of discrete is something that is separate or distinct.
An example of discrete is three people standing in line to purchase tickets.
- separate and distinct; not attached to others; unrelated
- made up of distinct parts; discontinuous
- designating or of an electronic circuit having separate transistors, resistors, etc.
Origin of discreteMiddle English discret: see discreet
- Constituting a separate thing: Computers treat time as a series of discrete moments rather than a continuous flow. See Synonyms at distinct.
- Consisting of unconnected distinct parts: society viewed as a discrete whole of individual agents.
- Mathematics Defined for a finite or countable set of values; not continuous.
Origin of discreteMiddle English, from Old French, from Latin discrētus, past participle of discernere, to separate; see discern.
(comparative more discrete, superlative most discrete)
- Separate; distinct; individual; non-continuous.
- That can be perceived individually and not as connected to, or part of something else.
- (electrical engineering) Having separate electronic components, such as individual resistors and inductors — the opposite of integrated circuitry.
- (audio engineering) Having separate and independent channels of audio, as opposed to multiplexed stereo or quadraphonic, or other multi-channel sound.
- (topology) Having each singleton subset open: said of a topological space or a topology.
- disjunctive; containing a disjunctive or discretive clause
- "I resign my life, but not my honour" is a discrete proposition.
- Often confused with discreet.
From Old French discret, from Latin discretus, from past participle of discernere.