Discipline - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT discipline /ˈdɪsɪplɪn/ /ˈdɪsɪplɪn/ IPA guide

Other forms: disciplined; disciplines; disciplining

When you have discipline, you have self-control. When you discipline children, you are either teaching them to be well-behaved, or you are punishing and correcting them.

The origins of this word offer great clues about its current meanings. The Old French descepline referred to punishment and suffering. The Latin disciplina meant "teaching, learning." The Old English version referred to a branch of knowledge or field of study (so if you're really good at word origins, you might want to make etymology your discipline). Developing discipline as a form of training is a military concept that's more than 500 years old.

Definitions of discipline

noun 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” see moresee less type of: system, system of rules a complex of methods or rules governing behavior
noun a branch of knowledge “in what discipline is his doctorate?” synonyms: bailiwick, field, field of study, study, subject, subject area, subject field see moresee less types: show 91 types... hide 91 types... occultism the study of the supernatural communication theory, communications the discipline that studies the principles of transmiting information and the methods by which it is delivered (as print or radio or television etc.) major the principal field of study of a student at a university frontier an undeveloped field of study; a topic inviting research and development genealogy the study or investigation of ancestry and family history allometry the study of the relative growth of a part of an organism in relation to the growth of the whole bibliotics the scientific study of documents and handwriting etc. especially to determine authorship or authenticity ology an informal word (abstracted from words with this ending) for some unidentified branch of knowledge science, scientific discipline a particular branch of scientific knowledge architecture the discipline dealing with the principles of design and construction and ornamentation of fine buildings applied science, engineering, engineering science, technology the discipline dealing with the art or science of applying scientific knowledge to practical problems futuristics, futurology the study or prediction of future developments on the basis of existing conditions arts, humanistic discipline, humanities, liberal arts studies intended to provide general knowledge and intellectual skills (rather than occupational or professional skills) divinity, theology the rational and systematic study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truth military science the discipline dealing with the principles of warfare escapology the study of methods of escaping (especially as a form of entertainment) graphology the study of handwriting (especially as an indicator of the writer's character or disposition) numerology the study of the supposed occult influence of numbers on human affairs protology the study of origins and first things theogony the study of the origins and genealogy of the gods science a branch of study or knowledge involving the observation, investigation, and discovery of general laws or truths that can be tested systematically forensics the art or study of formal debate and argumentation natural history the scientific study of plants or animals (more observational than experimental) usually published in popular magazines rather than in academic journals symbology the study or the use of symbols and symbolism natural science, science the sciences involved in the study of the physical world and its phenomena math, mathematics, maths a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement agronomy, scientific agriculture the application of soil and plant sciences to land management and crop production agrobiology the study of plant nutrition and growth especially as a way to increase crop yield agrology science of soils in relation to crops architectonics, tectonics the science of architecture landscape architecture the branch of architecture dealing with the arrangement of land and buildings for human use and enjoyment urban planning the branch of architecture dealing with the design and organization of urban space and activities interior design the branch of architecture dealing with the selection and organization of furnishings for an architectural interior metallurgy the science and technology of metals aeronautical engineering the branch of engineering science concerned with the design and construction of aircraft bionics application of biological principles to the study and design of engineering systems (especially electronic systems) bioengineering, biotechnology, ergonomics the branch of engineering science in which biological science is used to study the relation between workers and their environments chemical engineering the branch of engineering that is concerned with the design and construction and operation of the plants and machinery used in industrial chemical processes civil engineering the branch of engineering concerned with the design and construction of such public works as dams or bridges EE, electrical engineering the branch of engineering science that studies the uses of electricity and the equipment for power generation and distribution and the control of machines and communication computer science, computing the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures architectural engineering the branch of engineering that deals with the construction of buildings (as distinguished from architecture as a design art) industrial engineering, industrial management the branch of engineering that deals with the creation and management of systems that integrate people and materials and energy in productive ways IT, information technology the branch of engineering that deals with the use of computers and telecommunications to retrieve and store and transmit information mechanical engineering the branch of engineering that deals with the design and construction and operation of machinery nanotechnology the branch of engineering that deals with things smaller than 100 nanometers (especially with the manipulation of individual molecules) nuclear engineering the branch of engineering concerned with the design and construction and operation of nuclear reactors naval engineering the branch of engineering that deals with the design and construction and operation of ships rocketry the branch of engineering science that studies rocket design and operation metrology the scientific study of measurement nutrition the scientific study of food and drink (especially in humans) psychological science, psychology the science of mental life IP, informatics, information processing, information science the sciences concerned with gathering, manipulating, storing, retrieving, and classifying recorded information cognitive science the field of science concerned with cognition; includes parts of cognitive psychology and linguistics and computer science and cognitive neuroscience and philosophy of mind social science the branch of science that studies society and the relationships of individual within a society strategics the science or art of strategy systematics the science of systematic classification thanatology the branch of science that studies death (especially its social and psychological aspects) neoclassicism revival of a classical style (in art or literature or architecture or music) but from a new perspective or with a new motivation classicalism, classicism a movement in literature and art during the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe that favored rationality and restraint and strict forms Romantic Movement, Romanticism a movement in literature and art during the late 18th and early 19th centuries that celebrated nature rather than civilization English the discipline that studies the English language and literature history the discipline that records and interprets past events involving human beings art history the academic discipline that studies the development of painting and sculpture chronology the determination of the actual temporal sequence of past events beaux arts, fine arts the study and creation of visual works of art performing arts arts or skills that require public performance Occidentalism the scholarly knowledge of western cultures and languages and people Oriental Studies, Orientalism the scholarly knowledge of Asian cultures and languages and people philosophy the rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics literary study the humanistic study of literature library science the study of the principles and practices of library administration linguistics, philology the humanistic study of language and literature musicology the scholarly and scientific study of music Sinology the study of Chinese history and language and culture stemmatics, stemmatology the humanistic discipline that attempts to reconstruct the transmission of a text (especially a text in manuscript form) on the basis of relations between the various surviving manuscripts (sometimes using cladistic analysis) trivium (Middle Ages) an introductory curriculum at a medieval university involving grammar and logic and rhetoric; considered to be a triple way to eloquence quadrivium (Middle Ages) a higher division of the curriculum in a medieval university involving arithmetic and music and geometry and astronomy cryptanalysis, cryptanalytics, cryptography, cryptology the science of analyzing and deciphering codes and ciphers and cryptograms linguistics the scientific study of language angelology the branch of theology that is concerned with angels apologetics the branch of theology that is concerned with the defense of Christian doctrines ecclesiology the branch of theology concerned with the nature and the constitution and the functions of a church eschatology the branch of theology that is concerned with such final things as death and Last Judgment; Heaven and Hell; the ultimate destiny of humankind hermeneutics the branch of theology that deals with principles of exegesis homiletics the branch of theology that deals with sermons and homilies liturgics, liturgiology the study of liturgies theodicy the branch of theology that defends God's goodness and justice in the face of the existence of evil tactics the branch of military science dealing with detailed maneuvers to achieve objectives set by strategy strategy the branch of military science dealing with military command and the planning and conduct of a war aerospace the branch of science related to space flight and aviation type of: domain, knowledge base, knowledge domain the content of a particular field of knowledge
noun training to improve strength or self-control see moresee less type of: grooming, preparation, training activity leading to skilled behavior
noun the trait of being well behaved “he insisted on discipline among the troops” see moresee less antonyms: indiscipline the trait of lacking discipline types: show 9 types... hide 9 types... self-denial, self-discipline the trait of practicing self discipline control, restraint discipline in personal and social activities asceticism, austerity, nonindulgence the trait of great self-denial (especially refraining from worldly pleasures) abstention, abstinence the trait of abstaining (especially from alcohol) continence, continency the exercise of self constraint in sexual matters self-restraint, temperateness exhibiting restraint imposed on the self moderation, temperance the trait of avoiding excesses inhibition the quality of being inhibited continence voluntary control over urinary and fecal discharge type of: trait a distinguishing feature of your personal nature
noun the act of punishing “the offenders deserved the harsh discipline they received” synonyms: correction see moresee less types: spanking the act of slapping on the buttocks type of: penalisation, penalization, penalty, punishment, sanction the act of punishing
verb develop behavior by instruction and practice; especially to teach self-control “Parents must discipline their children” synonyms: check, condition, train groom, prepare, train educate for a future role or function see moresee less types: mortify practice self-denial of one's body and appetites type of: develop, make grow cause to grow and differentiate in ways conforming to its natural development
verb punish in order to gain control or enforce obedience “The teacher disciplined the pupils rather frequently” synonyms: correct, sort out see moresee less type of: penalise, penalize, punish, sanction impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on

Pronunciation US /ˈdɪsɪplɪn/ UK /ˈdɪsɪplɪn/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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