discipline

/ˈdi-sə-plən/

Middle English, "chastisement, system of ordered conduct, instruction, branch of learning," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin disciplīna "teaching, instruction, branch of study, orderly conduct based on moral training" (Medieval Latin, "chastisement, scourging"), from discipulus "pupil, learner" + -īna, suffix denoting a place or practice (from noun derivative of feminine of -īnus )

noun

  1. control gained by enforcing obedience or order

  2. orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior

  3. self-control

verb

  1. to punish or penalize for the sake of enforcing obedience and perfecting moral character

  2. to train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control

  3. to bring (a group) under control

punish chastise castigate chasten discipline correct mean to inflict a penalty on in requital for wrongdoing. punish implies subjecting to a penalty for wrongdoing. chastise may apply to either the infliction of corporal punishment or to verbal censure or denunciation.

noun

  1. correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement