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We show that the discriminant of the generalized Laguerre polynomial $L_n^{\left(\alpha \right)}\left(x\right)$ is a non-zero square for some integer pair $(n,\alpha )$, with $n\ge 1$, if and only if $(n,\alpha )$ belongs to one of $30$ explicitly given infinite sets of pairs or to an additional finite set of pairs. As a consequence, we obtain new information on when the Galois group of $L_n^{\left(\alpha \right)}\left(x\right)$ over $\mathbb{Q}$ is the alternating group $A_n$. For example, we establish that for all but finitely many positive integers $n\equiv 2(mod4)$, the only $\alpha$ for which the Galois group of $L_n^{\left(\alpha \right)}\left(x\right)$ over $\mathbb{Q}$ is $A_n$ is $\alpha =n$.