1. Make a discovery, make a new finding
   "Roentgen discovered X-rays";
   - find
    
2. Determine the existence, presence, or fact of
   "She discovered high levels of lead in her drinking water";
   - detect, observe, find, notice
    
3. Get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally
   "I discovered that she has two grown-up children";
   - learn, hear, get word, get wind, pick up, find out, get a line [informal], see
    
4. Find or encounter unexpectedly
   "she discovered a goldmine";
   - fall upon, strike, come upon, light upon, chance upon, come across, chance on, happen upon
    
5. See for the first time; make a discovery
   "Who discovered the North Pole?"
    
6. Make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
   "discover the evidence in the murder case";
   - unwrap, disclose, let on, bring out, reveal, expose, divulge, break, give away, let out, uncover, lay bare
    
7. Classify or apply the appropriate name to, e.g. in botany or biology
   "The botanist discovered the new plant species";
   - identify, key, key out, distinguish, describe, name

Derived forms: discovered, discovering, discovers

See also: pluck

Type of: act, comprehend, conceive, conceptualise [Brit], conceptualize, descry [literary], determine, espy, find, gestate, move, perceive, regain, set, sight, spot, spy, tell

Encyclopedia: Discover