descriptive

adjective

de·​scrip·​tive di-ˈskrip-tiv 

1

: presenting observations about the characteristics of someone or something : serving to describe

a descriptive account

2

a

: referring to, constituting, or grounded in matters of observation or experience

the descriptive basis of science

b

: factually grounded or informative rather than normative, prescriptive, or emotive

descriptive cultural studies

3

of a modifier

a

: expressing the quality, kind, or condition of what is denoted by the modified term

hot in "hot water" is a descriptive adjective

b

: nonrestrictive

4

linguistics : of, relating to, or dealing with the structure of a language at a particular time usually with exclusion of historical and comparative data

descriptive linguistics

descriptively adverb

descriptiveness noun

Examples of descriptive in a Sentence

She gave a descriptive account of the journey.

a talent for descriptive writing

a poem full of descriptive detail

The black cat was given the descriptive name “Midnight.”

The book is a descriptive grammar.

Recent Examples on the Web

Chevalier’s descriptive prose on glassmaking artistry, together with her delightful characters, creates an entrancing tale. —Staff, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2024

The Marvel Lego set features the golden glove, colorful Infinity Stones, and a sturdy base with a descriptive tablet. —Mia Huelsbeck, Peoplemag, 16 June 2024

But instead of labeling the levels by a percentage of motor power, Mod gives each level a descriptive name of how the levels might be used. —Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 14 June 2024

But few could pull it off the way David Pierce does for The Verge—with descriptive reporting, humor, and more than a little insight into how a spreadsheet program became arguably the most important piece of software since the dawn of personal computing. —Peter Rubin, Longreads, 13 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

see describe

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing descriptive

• self-descriptive

Kids Definition

descriptive

adjective

de·​scrip·​tive di-ˈskrip-tiv 

: serving to describe

a descriptive account

a descriptive adjective

descriptively adverb

descriptiveness noun