Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse writers. I have found the following to be among them:
DISCREET / DISCRETE
Though both discreet and discrete are adjectives, their meanings are quite different.
To be discreet is to observe good judgement concerning information that is best kept private. The word discrete, on the other hand, means separate, individually distinct or noncontinuous, and as such is a term often employed in mathematics and science.
As a character trait, the ability to be discreet is highly prized in the legal profession.
Quantum physics deals with discrete energy levels.
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