Do you know the difference between “discreet” and “discrete?” What about “defuse” and “diffuse?” “Dual” and “duel?” Hopefully after today, the answer to all three questions will be a resounding, “Yes!”

Let’s start with last things first today and talk about “dual” and “duel” – two words I see mixed-up on a regular basis.

Now, I think you know this: “Dual” means having two parts, while “duel” means a fight or contest between two people. Why do people mix them up? I’m not sure, but people apparently can’t tell the difference between Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg too. (Marky Mark led the Funky Bunch! Come on guys!)

Our other two mix-ups make more sense to me. Let’s talk about “discreet” and “discrete” first.

Someone who is “discreet” is careful not to attract attention. You might discreetly slip a Valentine’s Card into your high school crush’s locker (or text them anonymously … I’m not sure what the kids do these days). “Discrete,” on the other hand, means “individually separate and distinct.”

With “defuse” and “diffuse,” I see how some confusion could occur. “Defuse” literally means to remove a fuse from an explosive, but is figuratively used to mean reducing the danger or tension from a situation. “Diffuse” means to spread out or disperse. Based on those definitions, you might think “diffusing the hostility in a room” would be an appropriate use of “diffuse,” but it’s not. When you use “diffuse,” think of particles, like a cloud of dust diffusing into the air.

Look at that: Six definitions in 300 words or less. Can’t beat the bang for the buck on that, huh?