| discovert | Not covert; not within the bonds of matrimony; unmarried; applied either to a woman who has never married or to a widow. Origin: Cf. F. Decouvert uncovered, OF. Descovert. See Discover, Covert. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| discoverture | 1. Discovery. 2. A state of being released from coverture; freedom of a woman from the coverture of a husband. Origin: Pref. Dis- + coverture: cf. OF. Descoverture. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| discovery | 1. The action of discovering; exposure to view; laying open; showing; as, the discovery of a plot. 2. A making known; revelation; disclosure; as, a bankrupt is bound to make a full discovery of his assets. "In the clear discoveries of the next [world]" (South) 3. Finding out or ascertaining something previously unknown or unrecognised; as, Harvey's discovery of the circulation of the blood. "A brilliant career of discovery and conquest." (Prescott) "We speak of the "invention" of printing, the discovery of America." (Trench) 4. That which is discovered; a thing found out, or for the first time ascertained or recognised; as, the properties of the magnet were an important discovery. 5. Exploration; examination. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| discrete | 1. Separate; distinct; disjunct. 2. Disjunctive; containing a disjunctive or discretive clause; as, "I resign my life, but not my honor," is a discrete proposition. 3. <botany> Separate; not coalescent; said of things usually coalescent. Discrete movement. See Concrete movement of the voice, under Concrete, Discrete proportion, proportion where the ratio of the means is different from that of either couplet; as, 3:6::8:16, 3 bearing the same proportion to 6 as 8 does to 16. But 3 is not to 6 as 6 to 8. It is thus opposed to continued or continual proportion; as, 3:6::12:24. Discrete quantity, that which must be divided into units, as number, and is opposed to continued quantity, as duration, or extension. Origin: L. Discretus, p. P. Of discernere. See Discreet. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| discrete character | Classifiable character that is also countable (e.g., number of progeny, number of teeth). Synonym: discrete character. (05 Mar 2000) |
| discrete random variable | A random variable that may assume a countable number of values, each with a probability strictly greater than zero. (05 Mar 2000) |
| discrete smallpox | The usual form in which the lesions are separate and distinct from each other. (05 Mar 2000) |
| discrete time model | <epidemiology> A model in which the system jumps from one state to the next at fixed intervals or timesteps. These difference models are simple to understand but often difficult to analyse; Contrast continuous time models. The parameters in such a model refer to the amount of change over the finite timestep; they are sometimes referred to as finite rates. In a (rather precise) sense, a differential equation is what you eventually get from a difference equation when you let the timestep get smaller and smaller and smaller. (05 Dec 1998) |
| discrete variable | A variable that may assume only a countable (usually finite) number of values. (05 Mar 2000) |
| discriminant | <mathematics> The eliminant of the n partial differentials of any homogenous function of n variables. See Eliminant. Origin: L. Discriminans, p. Pr. Of discriminare. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| discriminant analysis | A statistical analytic technique used with discrete dependent variables, concerned with separating sets of observed values and allocating new values. It is sometimes used instead of regression analysis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| discriminant function | A particular combination of continuous variable test results designed to achieve separation of groups; e.g., a single number representing a combination of weighted laboratory test results designed to discriminate between clinical classes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| discriminant stimulus | A stimulus which can be differentiated from all other stimulus in the environment because it has been, and continues to serve as, an indicator of a potential reinforcer. (05 Mar 2000) |
| discriminate | Having the difference marked; distinguished by certain tokens. Origin: L. Discriminatus, p. P. Of discriminare to divide, separate, fr. Discrimen division, distinction, decision, fr. Discernere. See Discern, and cf. Criminate. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| discrimination | <psychology> Differential response to different stimuli. (12 Dec 1998) |