discriminant
/dɪˈskrɪmɪnənt/noun
1- an agent or characteristic that enables things, people, or classes to be distinguished from one another可资辨别的因素（或特点）：
anaemia is commonly present in patients with both conditions, and is therefore not a helpful discriminant.
有这两种病症的病人都会发生贫血, 因此这不能作为一个有用的辨别因素。
1.1
- Mathematics a function of the coefficients of a polynomial equation whose value gives information about the roots of the polynomial【数】判别式。参见DISCRIMINANT FUNCTION.
词源
mid 19th cent. （in the sense 'showing discernment'）： from Latin discriminant- 'distinguishing between'， from the verb discriminare （see DISCRIMINATE）.