discover and learn share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. discover means “discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of”. learn means “gain knowledge or skills”. learn is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/dɪˈskʌvɚ/
1.v.discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
“She detected high levels of lead in her drinking water”
2.v.get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally
“I learned that she has two grown-up children”
3.v.make a discovery, make a new finding
“Roentgen discovered X-rays”
/ˈlɝn/
1.v.gain knowledge or skills
“She learned dancing from her sister”
2.v.get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally
“I learned that she has two grown-up children”
3.v.commit to memory; learn by heart
“Have you memorized your lines for the play yet?”
| discover | learn | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /dɪˈskʌvɚ/ | /ˈlɝn/ |
| Said | di-SKUHV-ur | lurn |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Letters | 8 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | verb | verb |
| Senses | 8 | 6 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | detect, observe, find | larn, acquire |
Full entry for discover · Full entry for learn · More comparisons