discover
- 01 A2 Elementary
to find a place, a thing, or a fact that nobody knew about before.
to find or become aware of something previously unknown or hidden.
Simple“Scientists recently discovered a new species of tiny frog in the rainforest.”
In context“Archaeologists discovered the remains of a lost city buried beneath the desert sands, providing new insights into ancient trade routes.”
PitfallThe scientist discovered a new cure of the disease. The scientist discovered a new cure for the disease.When discovering a solution or cure, use the preposition 'for'.
- 02 A2 Elementary
to learn something new by looking for it or by accident.
to gain knowledge of something through investigation, study, or chance observation.
Simple“I was surprised to discover that my neighbor is a famous musician.”
In context“Upon reviewing the financial records, the auditor discovered several discrepancies that had gone unnoticed for years.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
to ask for or share information and documents before a court case starts.
to obtain or exchange information and evidence through the formal process of discovery in a lawsuit.
Simple“The lawyers need to discover all the emails related to the contract before the trial.”
In context“The defense sought to discover the prosecution's witness list well in advance of the preliminary hearing to prepare their cross-examination strategy.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
to show a feeling or a secret that was hidden.
to reveal or make manifest a quality, feeling, or piece of information.
Simple“His shaking hands discovered his true fear despite his brave words.”
In context“The poet's verses discover a deep melancholy that the author rarely expressed in his public life.”
discover vs find out — Discover describes finding something that already existed but was unknown to the world, while find out describes learning new information or facts through effort or by chance.
discover vs invent — Discover is finding something that was already there; invent is creating something that never existed before.
discover vs realize — Discover is for finding something that already existed in the world; realize is for a sudden shift in your own understanding.
Usage discover new · discovered something
From Middle English discoveren, from Old French descovrir, from Late Latin discoperīre < discooperiō, discooperīre, from Latin dis- + cooperiō. Displaced native Old English onfindan.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.