Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words (original) (raw)

discipline

noun

1. training to act in accordance with rules; drill:
   military discipline.
2. an activity, exercise, or regimen that develops or improves a skill; training:
   Sticking to specific and regular mealtimes is excellent discipline for many dieters.
3. a branch of instruction or learning:
   the disciplines of history and economics.
4. punishment inflicted by way of correction and training.
   Synonyms: castigation, chastisement
5. the rigor or training effect of experience, adversity, etc.:
   the harsh discipline of poverty.
6. behavior in accord with rules of conduct; behavior and order maintained by training and control:
   good discipline in an army.
7. a set or system of rules and regulations.
8. Ecclesiastical. the system of government regulating the practice of a church as distinguished from its doctrine.
9. an instrument of punishment, especially a whip or scourge, used in the practice of self-mortification or as an instrument of chastisement in certain religious communities.

verb (used with object)

, dis·ci·plined, dis·ci·plin·ing.

1. to train by instruction and exercise; drill.
2. to bring to a state of order and obedience by training and control.

/ ˈdɪsɪˌplɪnəl; ˈdɪsɪplɪn; ˌdɪsɪˈplaɪnəl /

noun

1. training or conditions imposed for the improvement of physical powers, self-control, etc
2. systematic training in obedience to regulations and authority
3. the state of improved behaviour, etc, resulting from such training or conditions
4. punishment or chastisement
5. a system of rules for behaviour, methods of practice, etc
6. a branch of learning or instruction
7. the laws governing members of a Church
8. a scourge of knotted cords

verb

1. to improve or attempt to improve the behaviour, orderliness, etc, of by training, conditions, or rules

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Derived Forms

• disciplinal, adjective
• ˈdisciˌpliner, noun
• ˈdisciˌplinable, adjective

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Other Words From

• dis·ci·pli·nal [dis, -, uh, -pl, uh, -nl, -plin-l, dis-, uh, -, plahyn, -l], adjective
• dis·ci·plin·er noun
• mul·ti·dis·ci·pline noun
• non·dis·ci·plin·ing adjective
• o·ver·dis·ci·pline verb overdisciplined overdisciplining
• pre·dis·ci·pline noun verb (used with object) predisciplined predisciplining
• re·dis·ci·pline verb (used with object) redisciplined redisciplining
• sub·dis·ci·pline noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of discipline1

First recorded in

1175–1225; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin disciplīna “instruction, tuition,” equivalent to discipul(us) “pupil, learner, trainee” + -ina noun suffix; disciple;

-ine 2

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Word History and Origins

Origin of discipline1

C13: from Latin disciplīna teaching, from discipulus disciple

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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

They developed a survey of multiple-choice questions, free-form text fields and rating scales and sent it to leading graduate school programs in animal behavior research across disciplines.

And when glass ceilings for women in music were hit, you could understand her thirst to make every idea and new discipline count, and the penchant for excess that went with it.

This time there appears to have been no cloaking of the beatings as "spiritual discipline" as had been the case in the UK.

Inspired by his dedication to sustainability and upcycling, Romanelli’s numerous collaborations with Converse, Levis, Coca-Cola and Disney have straddled the design, music, art, food and fashion disciplines.

School board members raised questions about emergencies, as well as discipline for violations.