Dictionary / discipline
discipline
- noun
- verb
- from Old French
A controlled behaviour; self-control.
1 All current definitions
Every sense of “discipline” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.
noun
- countableuncountableA controlled behaviour; self-control.
The most perfect, who have their passions in the best discipline, are yet obliged to be constantly on their guard.a. 1729, John Rogers, The Difficulties of Obtaining Salvation:
- A controlled behaviour; self-control.countableuncountableAn enforced compliance or control.
The masters looked unusually stern, but it was the sternness of thought rather than of discipline.1956, Michael Arlen, “1/1/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:
- A controlled behaviour; self-control.countableuncountableA systematic method of obtaining obedience.
Discipline aims at the removal of bad habits and the substitution of good ones, especially those of order, regularity, and obedience.1871, Charles John Smith, Synonyms Discriminated:
- A controlled behaviour; self-control.countableuncountableA state of order based on submission to authority.
Their wildness lose, and, quitting nature's part, / Obey the rules and discipline of art.1697, Virgil, “The Second Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
- A controlled behaviour; self-control.countableuncountableA set of rules regulating behaviour.
- A controlled behaviour; self-control.countableuncountableA punishment to train or maintain control.
giving her the discipline of the strap1712 October 12 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “WEDNESDAY, October 2, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 499; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], vol
- A controlled behaviour; self-control.countableuncountableA whip used for self-flagellation.
All she had done was give Teena a cilice, a barbed metal chain she was to tie around her thigh for two hours every day, and a discipline, a rope whip with knotted ends she was to use on her back when she prayed the Hail Mary.2024 March 16, Antonia Cundy, “The Opus Dei diaries”, in FT Weekend, London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 18:
- A controlled behaviour; self-control.countableuncountableA flagellation as a means of obtaining sexual gratification.
- countableuncountableA specific branch of knowledge, learning, or practice.
academic disciplines
- A specific branch of knowledge, learning, or practice.countableuncountableA category in which a certain art, sport or other activity belongs.
verb
- transitiveTo train someone by instruction and practice.
- transitiveTo teach someone to obey authority.
- transitiveTo punish someone in order to (re)gain control.
- transitiveTo impose order on someone.
Cross-check: WordNet senses (7)
- nouna branch of knowledge — also: subject, subject area, subject field, field, field of study
- nouna system of rules of conduct or method of practice
- nounthe trait of being well behaved
- nountraining to improve strength or self-control
- nounthe act of punishing — also: correction
- verbdevelop (children's) behavior by instruction and practice; especially to teach self-control — also: train, check, condition
- verbpunish in order to gain control or enforce obedience — also: correct, sort out
Synonyms: drill
2 History of the word
The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)discipline
- Middle English[Term?]
- Middle EnglishAnglo-Norman
- Old Frenchdescipline
- Latindisciplina “instruction”
- Latindiscipulus “pupil”
- Proto-Indo-European*dek-
From Middle English [Term?], from Anglo-Norman, from Old French descipline, from Latin disciplina (“instruction”), from discipulus (“pupil”), influenced by disco (“to learn”), from Proto-Indo-European *dek- (“(cause to) accept”).
Derivatives — words built from “discipline”
Phrases & compounds
Related terms
Want to go deeper? See also “discipline” on Etymonline ↗
3 Original language
Where “discipline” came from before it was English.
4 Original meaning
What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.
Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913
A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.
discipline n. [F. discipline, L. disciplina, from discipulus. See Disciple.]
- The treatment suited to a disciple or learner; education; development of the faculties by instruction and exercise; training, whether physical, mental, or moral.
- Training to act in accordance with established rules; accustoming to systematic and regular action; drill.
- Subjection to rule; submissiveness to order and control; habit of obedience.
- Severe training, corrective of faults; instruction by means of misfortune, suffering, punishment, etc.
discipline v. t. [Cf. LL. disciplinarian to flog, fr. L. disciplina discipline, and F. discipliner to discipline.]
- To educate; to develop by instruction and exercise; to train.
- To accustom to regular and systematic action; to bring under control so as to act systematically; to train to act together under orders; to teach subordination to; to form a habit of obedience in; to drill.
- To improve by corrective and penal methods; to chastise; to correct.
5 Use it with confidence
Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.
nounMeaning: A controlled behaviour; self-control.
The most perfect, who have their passions in the best discipline, are yet obliged to be constantly on their guard.a. 1729, John Rogers, The Difficulties of Obtaining Salvation:
nounMeaning: An enforced compliance or control.
The masters looked unusually stern, but it was the sternness of thought rather than of discipline.1956, Michael Arlen, “1/1/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:
nounMeaning: A systematic method of obtaining obedience.
Discipline aims at the removal of bad habits and the substitution of good ones, especially those of order, regularity, and obedience.1871, Charles John Smith, Synonyms Discriminated:
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?1973, Bible (New International Version), Hebrews 12:7
nounMeaning: A state of order based on submission to authority.
Their wildness lose, and, quitting nature's part, / Obey the rules and discipline of art.1697, Virgil, “The Second Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
nounMeaning: A punishment to train or maintain control.
giving her the discipline of the strap1712 October 12 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “WEDNESDAY, October 2, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 499; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], vol
nounMeaning: A whip used for self-flagellation.
All she had done was give Teena a cilice, a barbed metal chain she was to tie around her thigh for two hours every day, and a discipline, a rope whip with knotted ends she was to use on her back when she prayed the Hail Mary.2024 March 16, Antonia Cundy, “The Opus Dei diaries”, in FT Weekend, London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 18:
nounMeaning: a branch of knowledge
in what discipline is his doctorate?
nounMeaning: a system of rules of conduct or method of practice
he quickly learned the discipline of prison routine
for such a plan to work requires discipline
nounMeaning: the trait of being well behaved
he insisted on discipline among the troops
nounMeaning: the act of punishing
the offenders deserved the harsh discipline they received
Three steps to owning it
- Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
- Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
- Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?
6 The mastery game
Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.
Say it, then spell it
discipline
/ˈdɪsɪplɪn/
Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.
Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________
discipline
/ˈdɪsɪplɪn/ · noun, verb
Step 1 — Say it and write it
Say “discipline” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.
Step 2 — Know every meaning
Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.
Step 3 — History and origin
Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):
Write three words built from “discipline” and what each means:
Step 4 — Original meaning
The earliest traceable form is Latin discipulus. What did it mean?
How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?
Step 5 — Use it yourself
☐ I can explain its meanings ☐ I know its history ☐ I know its original language ☐ I know its original meaning ☐ I can use it confidently
Answer key — discipline
Origin: C. Old French (Old French descipline)
Journey: English discipline ← Middle English [Term?] ← Middle English Anglo-Norman ← Old French descipline ← Latin disciplina ← Latin discipulus ← Proto-Indo-European *dek-
Some derivatives: antidiscipline, counterdiscipline, disciplinability, disciplineless, discipline-specific, disciplinism, disciplinist, indiscipline
Original meaning: Latin discipulus — “pupil”
Etymology: From Middle English [Term?], from Anglo-Norman, from Old French descipline, from Latin disciplina (“instruction”), from discipulus (“pupil”), influenced by disco (“to learn”), from Proto-Indo-European *dek- (“(cause to) accept”).
Sources: Wiktionary “discipline” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/discipline#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/discipline