In fact, the earliest known use of discipline appears to be punishment-related; it first was used in the 13th century to refer to chastisement of a religious nature, such as self-flagellation.

Discipline is the self-control that is gained by requiring that rules or orders be obeyed, and the ability to keep working at something that is difficult. [1] Disciplinarians believe that such self …

(Definition of discipline from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

DISCIPLINE definition: training to act in accordance with rules; drill. See examples of discipline used in a sentence.

If you refer to an activity or situation as a discipline, you mean that, in order to be successful in it, you need to behave in a strictly controlled way and obey particular rules or standards.

Sep 6, 2025 · As a noun, "discipline" refers to the practice of enforcing rules or a system of behavior through training, correction, or punishment. This usage is common in contexts like …

Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement: was raised in the strictest discipline.

Feb 1, 2026 · discipline (third-person singular simple present disciplines, present participle disciplining, simple past and past participle disciplined) (transitive) To train someone by …

There are 17 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun discipline, three of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

When you have discipline, you have self-control. When you discipline children, you are either teaching them to be well-behaved, or you are punishing and correcting them.