dis·crim·i·nate / disˈkriməˌnāt/ • v. [intr.] 1. recognize a distinction; differentiate: babies can discriminate between different facial expressions of emotion. ∎  [tr.] perceive or constitute the difference in or between: bats can discriminate a difference in echo delay of between 69 and 98 millionths of a second | features that discriminate this species from other gastropods.2. make an unjust or prejudicial distinction in the treatment of different categories of people or things, esp. on the grounds of race, sex, or age: existing employment policies discriminate against women.DERIVATIVES: dis·crim·i·nate·ly / -nitlē/ adv.dis·crim·i·na·tive / -ˌnātiv/ adj.

discriminate XVII. f. pp. stem of L. discrīmināre, f. discrīmen, -min-, distinction, f. discernere DISCERN; see -ATE 2.
So discrimination XVII. — late L.