An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

Of, for, or constituting a → discipline. See also → interdisciplinary, → multidisciplinary, and → transdisciplinary.

→ discipline; → -ary.

1) A branch of learning or instruction.
2) A system of rules for behavior, methods of practice, etc.

M.E., from M.Fr. discipline, descepline, from L. disciplina literally "teaching, instruction," from discipulus "pupil, student, follower," from dis- + cipere, combining form of capere "to take," → concept, + -ulus, → -ule.

Hâvešân, from hâveš "disciple, pupil," Mid.Pers. hâvišt "disciple, pupil;" Av. hāvišta- "disciple, pupil," + -ân a suffix denoting "group, order, system."

A break in sequence or continuity of anything. → Balmer discontinuity
Math.: A point at which a function is not continuous.
Geology: A surface separating rock layers of differing properties or compositions.

M.L. discontinuitas, from discontinuus, from → dis- + continuus, → continuous.

Nâpeyvastegi, noun from nâpeyvasté "discontinuous," from nâ- "non, un-," → a-, + peyvasté, → continuous.

To find (something previously unseen or unknown) after study or search.

M.E. discoverir, descovrir, from O.Fr. descovrir "uncover, unveil, reveal," from L.L. discooperire, from L. → dis- "opposite of" + cooperire "to cover up," → cover.

Padvâridan "to uncover," infinitive from padvâr, from prefix pad- "against, contrary, opposite to," variants pat-, pâd-, → anti-, + vâr- "to cover;" cf. Av. vār- "to cover;" Mid.Pers. (with prefix *uz-) uzvâr- "to interprete, uncover, grasp," Pers. hozvâr(eš) "interpretation;" Khotanese (+ *ui-) gvir- "to be revealed;" Choresmian (+ *apa-) bw'rg- "to uncover;" Pers. barg "cover, clothes;" šalvâr "trousers" (Cheung, 2007).

The act or an instance of discovering. Something discovered.

Verbal noun of → discover.

Divergence or disagreement, as between facts, claims, or calculations.

From L. discrepantia, from discrepantem, pr.p. of discrepare "sound differently, differ," from → dis- "apart, off" + crepare "to rattle, crack."

Nâhamxâni, from nâ- "non, un-," → a-, + hamxâni "siniging together," from ham- "together," → com-, + xâni, from xân stem of xândan "to sing; to read; to call," Mid.Pers. xwân- "to resound; to call," Av. x^van- "to sound," Proto-Iranian *huan- "to call;" cf. Skt. svan-, sváranti "to sound, make a sound, sing;" L. sonus "sound," sonare "to sound;" O.E. swinn "music, song," PIE base *suen- "to sound" (Cheung 2007).

Apart or detached from others; separate; distinct. Composed of distinct or discontinuous elements.

From O.Fr. discret, from L. discretus "separated, distinct," from p.p. of discernere "to distinguish," from → dis- "off, away" + cernere "distinguish, separate, sift," → crisis.

Gosasté "broken, broken off," p.p. of gosastan "to break, split," Mid.Pers. wisistan "to break, split," Av. saed- "to split," asista- "unsplit, unharmed," Skt. chid- "to split, break, cut off," Gk. skhizein "to split," L. scindere "to split;" PIE stem *skei- "to split, cut."
Jodâ "separate, distinct," Mid.Pers. jutâk (yutâk), jut (yut).

The rapid, systematic changes in the absorption parts of the → P Cygni profiles of the ultraviolet → resonance lines (Si IV, C IV, and N V) observed in a majority of massive → hot stars. DACs are typically seen to accelerate to the → blue wing of the profile over a few days, becoming narrower as they approach the → terminal velocity.

→ discrete; → absorption; → component.

Data that can only take a small set of particular values, usually whole numbers. For instance, number of children in a family cannot be 2.4, since parents cannot actually have 2.4 children. → continuous data.

→ discrete; → data.

A localized source on the celestial sphere that can be observationally separated at radio wavelengths from its background emission.

→ discrete; → radio; → source.

A spectrum in which the component wavelengths (and wave numbers and frequencies) constitute a discrete sequence of values (finite or infinite in number) rather than a continuum of values.

→ discrete; → spectrum.

A transition between two quantum-mechanical energy levels. See also → discrete spectrum.

→ discrete; → transition.

A quantity that has certain magnitudes and does not represent a → continuous variable.

→ discrete; → value.

A variable which has only → discrete values and has no in-between values.

→ discrete; → variable.

A → quantum walk involving a probabilistic → operator that changes the direction while leaving the position fixed, and a shift operator that changes the position. Discrete-time quantum walk was introduced by J. Watrous (2001, Journal of Computer and System Sciences 62, 376)

→ discrete; → time; → quantum; → walk.

To make a distinction in favor of or against a person or thing on the basis of the group, class, or category to which the person or thing belongs rather than according to actual merit (Dictionary.com).

From L. discriminatus, p.p. of discriminare "to divide, separate," from discrimen "a space between, division, separation, difference," from discernere "to separate, divide; distinguish, perceive," from → dis- "off, away" + cernere "distinguish, separate, sift;" ultimately from PIE root *krei- "to sieve," → critique.

Vâkarbidan, from prefix vâ-, → dis-, + karb-, related to stem qarb- in qarbâl, qalbur, gerbâl "sieve," probably related to PIE root *krei- "to sieve," as above.

1) An act or instance of discriminating, or of making a distinction.
2) Unfair treatment of a person, racial group, minority, etc; action based on prejudice (Dictionary.com).

Verbal noun of → discriminate.

Characterized by or showing prejudicial treatment, especially as an indication of bias related to age, color, national origin, religion, sex, etc. (Dictionary.com).

From → discriminate + adjective and noun suffix -ory.

To → consider or → examine by → argument, → comment, etc.; talk over or write about, especially to explore solutions; → debate (Dictionary.com).

M.E., from Anglo-Fr. discusser, from L. discussus "struck asunder, shaken, scattered," p.p. of discutere to break up, "strike asunder," from → dis- "apart," + quatere "to shake, strike."

Bahsidan, infinitive from bahs, from Ar. baHS (بحث) "investigating, examining, controversy, debate, dispute."

An act or instance of discussing; → consideration or → examination by → argument, → comment, etc., especially to explore solutions; informal debate (Dictionary.com).

Verbal noun from → discuss.