IPA: /dɪsˈkʌvər/
KK: /dɪsˈkʌvɚ/
To find out something that was not known before or to uncover something.
She hopes to discover new planets in her research.
Past: discovered
Past Participle: discovered
Discover is formed from "dis-" (meaning apart) and "coperire" (meaning to cover). The word originally meant to uncover or reveal something that was hidden.
Think of uncovering something that was 'covered' ('coperire') — that's why discover means to find something hidden.