discernible

adjective

dis·​cern·​ible di-ˈsər-nə-bəl 

-ˈzər-

variants or less commonly discernable

: able to be perceived by a sense (such as sight or smell) or by the mind : capable of being discerned

a discernible difference

It is thought that the genes that normally produce a white underbelly in the gray squirrel are active in a wider area of their bodies, often leaving discernible gray patches on the spine and head.

—C. Claiborne Ray

Downpours are a near-daily occurrence throughout the year, and there are few discernible changes of season. Sunlight, warmth, and moisture are constants.

—Scott Wallace

discernibly

di-ˈsər-nə-blē 

-ˈzər-

adverb

or less commonly discernably

a discernibly better product

two materials that are not discernibly different

When a recipe says to brown the meat, it is calling for a deep brown sear and a discernibly thick crust on all sides …

—Cook's Illustrated

Synonyms

• appreciable
• apprehensible
• detectable
• distinguishable
• palpable
• perceptible
• sensible

Examples of discernible in a Sentence

discernible differences in the two authors' writing styles

Recent Examples on the Web

The fallout of those efforts is discernible in the finished works. —Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024

Her co-star Riley Keough knew what was going on and guided Temple through it, but Temple has continued to have panic attacks throughout the years, often for no discernible reason at all. —Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2024

At the top, deck looks like a moonscape, and the roar of rushing cars and trucks was barely discernible, thanks to the thick, 12-foot-tall sound walls on either side of the structure, which is slightly wider than an American football field and about three-quarters its length. —Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024

Other times, its change will be more incremental, perhaps hardly discernible in the short term. —Bill Rokos, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

discernible borrowed from Late Latin discernibilis, from Latin discernere "to separate, divide off, distinguish, discern" + -ibilis -ible; discernable from discern + -able, after Late Latin discernibilis

First Known Use

1561, in the meaning defined above