What is the Latin word for discernment?

The usual Latin words for “discernment” are distīnctiō, intellegentia, perspiciō; also prūdēns, sapientia, iūdicium. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“discernment” in Latin

distīnctiōdifference, distinction; sign of interpunction, punctuation mark intellegentiaintelligence, the power of discernment; understanding, knowledge; taste, skill, the capacity to be a connoisseur perspiciōto see through something; to perceive or discern clearly prūdēnswise, prudent; skilful, knowledgeable (in a specific matter)sapientiawisdom, discernment, memory; science, skilled practice iūdiciumjudgment, decision; opinion; trial cognitiōlearning, study (acquisition of knowledge); knowledge, cognition, cognizance; investigation, judicial examination, inqui vērustrue, real, actual (conforming to the actual state of reality or fact; factually correct); true, genuine (not counterfei

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

discernment

The distinguishing between objects, distinctio (e.g., veri a falso, Cic.).

Intelligent insight into things, intelligentia (understanding; survey taken by means of it, and distinct knowledge thereby acquired, alicujus rei): perspicientia (a seeing through, clear understanding, veri, Cic., Off., 1, 5, 14): prudentia: sapientia (higher discernment, thus distinguished by Cic. in philosophy; that sapientia is discernment of the nature of God and mankind, and the relations in which these stand to each other; but prudentia, the knowledge of that which we should choose as good and avoid as evil; ☞ Off., 1, 43, 153; of anything, alicujus rei): judicium (faculty of judging; then judgement founded on knowledge): cognitio (clear knowledge and discernment acquired in a thing; in anything, alicujus rei): want of discernment, imprudentia: a man of great discernment, vir prudentissimus; vir multi or magni constlii; vir consilii plenus: men of education and discernment, viri docti et eruditi: nothing escapes his discernment, nihil est, quod non perspiciat: with discernment, sapienter; prudenter: to have or possess discernment, intelligentia valere or praestare (especially great discernment): to possess understanding and discernment, rationis et intelligentiae participem esse: to possess great discernment, prudenter intelligere (e.g., of an orator, Cic., Brut., 6, 23): to possess deep discernment, alta mente praeditum esse: to possess more discernment than some one, plus, quam aliquis, habere prudentiae: to have discernment in anything, intelligentiam alicujus rei habere: to have a clear discernment of a thing, plane videre aliquid.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for discernment?: The usual Latin words for “discernment” are distīnctiō, intellegentia, perspiciō; also prūdēns, sapientia, iūdicium. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.