to see, get knowledge of, learn of, find, or find out; gain sight or knowledge of (something previously unseen or unknown)

to discover America; to discover electricity.

to notice or realize

I discovered I didn't have my credit card with me when I went to pay my bill.

Archaic . to make known; reveal; disclose.

verb

lose , miss , pass by

verb

ascertain , bring to light , catch , come across , come upon , conceive , contrive , debunk , design , detect , determine , devise , dig up , discern , disclose , distinguish , elicit , espy , explore , ferret out * , get wind of , get wise to , glimpse , hear , identify , invent , learn , light upon , locate , look up , nose out * , notice , observe , originate , perceive , pick up on , pioneer , realize , recognize , reveal , see , sense , smoke out , spot , think of , turn up , unearthnotes:the word discover goes back to latin dis- and cooperire , meaning \'to remove the covering; completely uncover.\' by 1553 , it was used to mean \'seeing or gaining knowledge of something previously unknown\' and \'finding out; bringing to light.\' you discover (\'uncover\') something that is already there , something that has existed but is generally unknown - but you invent something that has never existed before. , find , bare , display , expose , show , unclothe , uncover , unmask , unveil , blab , divulge , give away , let out , tell , confess , define , descry , disinter , exhume , ferret out , spy , unearth