DISCIPLINE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does discipline mean? 

• DISCIPLINE (noun)
  The noun DISCIPLINE has 5 senses:

1. a branch of knowledge

2. a system of rules of conduct or method of practice

3. the trait of being well behaved

4. training to improve strength or self-control

5. the act of disciplining

  Familiarity information: DISCIPLINE used as a noun is common.

• DISCIPLINE (verb)
  The verb DISCIPLINE has 2 senses:

1. develop (a child's or animal's) behavior by instruction and practice; especially to teach self-control

2. punish in order to gain control or enforce obedience

  Familiarity information: DISCIPLINE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DISCIPLINE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A branch of knowledge

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

bailiwick; discipline; field; field of study; study; subject; subject area; subject field

Context example:

anthropology is the study of human beings

Hypernyms ("discipline" is a kind of...):

domain; knowledge base; knowledge domain (the content of a particular field of knowledge)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discipline"):

architecture (the discipline dealing with the principles of design and construction and ornamentation of fine buildings)

theogony (the study of the origins and genealogy of the gods)

protology (the study of origins and first things)

numerology (the study of the supposed occult influence of numbers on human affairs)

graphology (the study of handwriting (especially as an indicator of the writer's character or disposition))

escapology (the study of methods of escaping (especially as a form of entertainment))

military science (the discipline dealing with the principles of warfare)

divinity; theology (the rational and systematic study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truth)

arts; humanistic discipline; humanities; liberal arts (studies intended to provide general knowledge and intellectual skills (rather than occupational or professional skills))

futuristics; futurology (the study or prediction of future developments on the basis of existing conditions)

applied science; engineering; engineering science; technology (the discipline dealing with the art or science of applying scientific knowledge to practical problems)

landscape architecture (the art, planning, design, management, preservation and rehabilitation of the land and the design of large man-made constructs)

science; scientific discipline (a particular branch of scientific knowledge)

ology (an informal word (abstracted from words with this ending) for some unidentified branch of knowledge)

bibliotics (the scientific study of documents and handwriting etc. especially to determine authorship or authenticity)

allometry (the study of the relative growth of a part of an organism in relation to the growth of the whole)

genealogy (the study or investigation of ancestry and family history)

frontier (an undeveloped field of study; a topic inviting research and development)

major (the principal field of study of a student at a university)

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.))

occultism (the study of the supernatural)

Derivation:

disciplinary (relating to a specific field of academic study)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A system of rules of conduct or method of practice

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context example:

for such a plan to work requires discipline

Hypernyms ("discipline" is a kind of...):

system; system of rules (a complex of methods or rules governing behavior)

Derivation:

discipline (develop (a child's or animal's) behavior by instruction and practice; especially to teach self-control)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The trait of being well behaved

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

he insisted on discipline among the troops

Hypernyms ("discipline" is a kind of...):

trait (a distinguishing feature of your personal nature)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discipline"):

self-denial; self-discipline (the trait of practicing self discipline)

control; restraint (discipline in personal and social activities)

Antonym:

indiscipline (the trait of lacking discipline)

Derivation:

disciplinary (relating to discipline in behavior)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Training to improve strength or self-control

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("discipline" is a kind of...):

grooming; preparation; training (activity leading to skilled behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discipline"):

yoga (discipline aimed at training the consciousness for a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility that is achieved through the three paths of actions and knowledge and devotion)

Derivation:

disciplinary (designed to promote discipline)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The act of disciplining

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

correction; discipline

Context example:

the offenders deserved the harsh discipline they received

Hypernyms ("discipline" is a kind of...):

penalisation; penalization; penalty; punishment (the act of punishing)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discipline"):

spanking (the act of slapping on the buttocks)

Derivation:

disciplinary (relating to discipline in behavior)

discipline (punish in order to gain control or enforce obedience)

• DISCIPLINE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they discipline    ... he / she / it disciplines   
Past simple: disciplined   
Past participle: disciplined   
-ing form: disciplining   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Develop (a child's or animal's) behavior by instruction and practice; especially to teach self-control

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

check; condition; discipline; train

Context example:

Is this dog trained?

Hypernyms (to "discipline" is one way to...):

develop; make grow (cause to grow and differentiate in ways conforming to its natural development)

Verb group:

groom; prepare; train (educate for a future role or function)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "discipline"):

mortify (practice self-denial of one's body and appetites)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

discipline (a system of rules of conduct or method of practice)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Punish in order to gain control or enforce obedience

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

correct; discipline; sort out

Context example:

The teacher disciplined the pupils rather frequently

Hypernyms (to "discipline" is one way to...):

penalise; penalize; punish (impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

discipline (the act of disciplining)

 Context examples 

Used for the scientific discipline or the biochemical processes themselves.

(Comparative Biochemistry, NCI Thesaurus)

A discipline in nursing with a focus on the delivery of health care and disease prevention to residents living in a common geographic area.

(Community Health Nursing, NCI Thesaurus)

The discipline focusing on microbe-induced clinical conditions, including epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and detection, and prevention and treatment.

(Clinical Microbiology, NCI Thesaurus)

The engineering discipline concerned with the environment and management of natural resources.

(Environmental Engineering, NCI Thesaurus)

Used for the scientific discipline or the descriptive analyses themselves.

(Ethnography, NCI Thesaurus)

Studies that bring together multiple scientific disciplines to address specific issues.

(Interdisciplinary Research, NCI Thesaurus)

Clinical, basic, and population research conducted by experts across disciplines enables FCCC to translate new research findings into medical applications that may become models for improved cancer care.

(Fox Chase Cancer Center, NCI Thesaurus)

A licensed health care practitioner educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery.

(Certified Nurse Midwife, NCI Thesaurus)

Disciplines concerned with the study of human and animal behavior.

(Behavioral Sciences, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Consider meditation or Pilates or try an Eastern discipline like Tai Chi or yoga for a feeling of ease and calm.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)