indiscriminate
/ˌɪndɪˈskrɪmɪnət/
adjective
Origin
Latin
in- + discriminare — not + to divide or distinguish
Overview
Meaning Now
- Not making or indicating careful choices; done at random or without judgment.
- Affecting or harming all things or people equally without distinction.
Literal older meaning
not separating or distinguishing
Language path
Latin → Middle French → English
Earliest form
indiscriminatus
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term derives from the Latin 'discrimen', which referred to a gap, a space between, or a turning point. Over time, it evolved from a neutral technical term for distinguishing differences into a broader descriptor of actions lacking selective judgment.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*krey-
“to sieve or discriminate”
- Latin
discriminare
“to divide, distinguish”
- Late Latin
indiscriminatus
“not distinguished”
- 17th century English
indiscriminate
“lacking discernment”
First recorded in usage around 1640.
Connections
Word parts
in-
prefix
not
dis-
prefix
apart
crimin
root
to separate or decide
-ate
suffix
forming an adjective
Related across languages
French
indiscriminé
indiscriminate
Spanish
indiscriminado
indiscriminate
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Related to indiscriminate
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.