Discrete means "separate", "single", "stand-alone" in this context (https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/discrete-component https://www.sciencedirec

Discrete means "separate", "single", "stand-alone" in this context (https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/discrete-component https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/discrete-co...), in contrast to ICs (which, BTW, can also be analog; many analog synthesizers have been built with ICs).