BharatNotes Discrimination
noun (uncountable and countable)Usage in a UPSC answer
The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, criminalises discrimination rooted in untouchability, yet field studies by researchers such as Sukhadeo Thorat document persistent caste-based discrimination in private labour markets that civil rights legislation has not adequately reached.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
discriminate (verb), discriminatory (adjective), discriminating (adjective), discriminatingly (adverb), non-discrimination (noun)
Root
Latin discriminare = to divide, separate; discrimen = distinction, division; dis- = apart + cernere = to sift, distinguish
Etymology
From Latin discriminatio (a separation), the word entered Middle English through Old French with a neutral sense of 'distinction'. The pejorative sense — treating people unequally based on group identity — solidified in the 19th century alongside abolitionist and suffragist discourse, and became a legal term of art in 20th-century anti-discrimination law.
Memory Hook
Discriminate shares its root with discern — to separate and distinguish. When someone dis-criminates, they are sifting people apart unfairly. Remember: dis + crimen (judgement) = making a harsh judgement that divides.
Seen in UPSC Question Papers
- Mains 2017 · GS1 · 10 marks — Indian Society
- Mains 2015 · GS4 · 10 marks — Ethics and Human Interface
Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Discrimination” — proof this word earns its place on your list.
Tip: press Alt+S to hear pronunciation
