Discipline Definition & Meaning

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    • Synonyms discipline American [dis-uh-plin] / ˈdɪs ə plɪn /

    noun

    1. training to act in accordance with rules; drill.

      military discipline.

    2. an activity, exercise, or regimen that develops or improves a skill; training.

      Sticking to specific and regular mealtimes is excellent discipline for many dieters.

    3. a branch of instruction or learning.

      the disciplines of history and economics.

    4. punishment inflicted by way of correction and training.

      Synonyms: castigation, chastisement

    5. the rigor or training effect of experience, adversity, etc..

      the harsh discipline of poverty.

    6. behavior in accord with rules of conduct; behavior and order maintained by training and control.

      good discipline in an army.

    7. a set or system of rules and regulations.

    8. Ecclesiastical. the system of government regulating the practice of a church as distinguished from its doctrine.

    9. an instrument of punishment, especially a whip or scourge, used in the practice of self-mortification or as an instrument of chastisement in certain religious communities.

    verb (used with object)

    disciplined, disciplining

    1. to train by instruction and exercise; drill.

    2. to bring to a state of order and obedience by training and control.

    3. to punish or penalize in order to train and control; correct; chastise.

    discipline British / ˈdɪsɪˌplɪnəl, ˈdɪsɪplɪn, ˌdɪsɪˈplaɪnəl /

    noun

    1. training or conditions imposed for the improvement of physical powers, self-control, etc

    2. systematic training in obedience to regulations and authority

    3. the state of improved behaviour, etc, resulting from such training or conditions

    4. punishment or chastisement

    5. a system of rules for behaviour, methods of practice, etc

    6. a branch of learning or instruction

    7. the laws governing members of a Church

    8. a scourge of knotted cords

    "Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

    verb

    1. to improve or attempt to improve the behaviour, orderliness, etc, of by training, conditions, or rules

    2. to punish or correct

    "Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

    Related Words

    See punish.

    Other Word Forms

    • disciplinable adjective
    • disciplinal adjective
    • discipliner noun
    • multidiscipline noun
    • nondisciplining adjective
    • overdiscipline verb
    • prediscipline noun
    • rediscipline verb (used with object)
    • subdiscipline noun

    Etymology

    Origin of discipline

    First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin disciplīna “instruction, tuition,” equivalent to discipul(us) “pupil, learner, trainee” + -ina noun suffix; disciple; -ine 2

    Example Sentences

    Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

    “It has been over two years we’ve been at this head count. As I look to next year, I think we can continue to be disciplined on head count.”

    From The Wall Street Journal

    To select a discipline, students rotate through programs during an exploratory first semester.

    From The Wall Street Journal

    The researchers attribute this to students being disciplined for using phones when they weren’t supposed to.

    From The Wall Street Journal

    But among some inside the Police Department, there are growing frustrations with officer discipline and the new chief’s hands-off style.

    From Los Angeles Times

    "It isn't just about skating though - it's taught me discipline and respect for myself," he said.

    From BBC

    Related Words

    • control
    • development
    • education
    • method
    • practice
    • preparation
    • regulation
    • restraint
    • self-control
    • self-restraint
    • will

    Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

    Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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